Park mulls follow-up measures to salvage presidency

Protesters pack Gwanghwamun Square, downtown Seoul, during a candlelit rally demanding President Park Geun-hye's resignation over the influence-peddling scandal involving her close confidant Choi Soon-sil, Saturday.
/ Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwon

By Kim Hyo-jin

Embattled President Park Geun-hye is considering follow-up measures to salvage her presidency amid a deepening leadership crisis caused by the influence-peddling and corruption scandal involving her confidant, according to presidential sources Sunday.

Despite the partial presidential office and Cabinet reshuffle, plus her second apology over the scandal surrounding her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil, public sentiment is worsening.

Hundreds of thousands of people ― 200,000 according to organizers ― assembled for a candlelit rally in central Seoul, Saturday, calling for the President's resignation. Another mass rally is scheduled for this Saturday.

The opposition bloc raised an offensive against Park, urging her to withdraw her unilateral nomination of Kim Byong-joon as prime minister. It is also pushing for an independent counsel for a thorough investigation of the scandal and step down from managing state affairs.

Choo Mi-ae, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has refused to hold a meeting with Park unless those requirements are met first.

However, chances are slim that Park will withdraw the nomination of the prime minister.

Cheong Wa Dae officials said a motion to appoint Kim as prime minister will be sent to the National Assembly this week. Chung Jin-suk, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, said he plans to demand opposition parties approve it during negotiations with rival parties.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Kim stressed Saturday that he has no intention to reject the nomination voluntarily.

Park is more likely to clarify her position on the transfer of powers to the prime minister, presidential officials said.

"Park acknowledges the importance of a follow-up action to be made this week," an official said. "She is mulling over all possible measures including delegation of power to the prime minister to a larger extent."

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Cheong Wa Dae has worked on holding a meeting between the President and leaders of rival parties which was brought up by Park during her nationally televised apology given on Friday.

Han Gwang-ok, newly appointed presidential chief of staff, and Hur Won-je, her new senior secretary for political affairs, have reportedly reached out to opposition leaders to seek cooperation.

"If a meeting is held, blueprint of a new Cabinet and next steps in resolving the political quandary will be widely discussed," ruling party spokesman Yeom Dong-yeol said Sunday, urging the opposition parties to join the talks.

On Sunday, Han presided over the first meeting with senior presidential secretaries to discuss measures to cope with the fallout from the scandal gripping the country.

"Public disappointment and concerns are higher than ever. I take seriously the public sentiment shown during a candlelit rally in Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday," he said. "Cheong Wa Dae will cooperate with the prosecution to get to the bottom of the scandal."

Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, however, views a meeting between the President and the leaders of the rival parties as not an ideal option for Park at this stage.

"Meeting with legislative leaders signifies the President is still seeking to get behind the wheel," Shin said. "The administration has literally been paralyzed. And she is not the person who should exert the leading role here."

He advised that Park step aside from her governing role, handing the authority over to a new prime minister recommended by rival parties.

Shin's view was echoed by Choi Chang-ryul, a politics professor at Yongin University.

"The situation will get worse once the presidential office sends a nomination motion of Kim Byong-joon to the National Assembly," Choi said. "Park is required to withdraw the designation first and accept a proposal of a new prime minister made by the Assembly."

Choi warned of a possible worst-case scenario where the public drives Park out of the presidential post.

"Park should clarify that she will step out of state management sometime soon, or public outcry against her presidency will go out of control," he said.

In a Realmeter poll after Park's speech on Friday, 57.2 percent viewed it as "hard to accept as it lacks authenticity" while 28.6 percent answered, "It is not sufficient but acceptable." Only 9.8 percent viewed it as "sufficient enough to be seen as an apology."

During a televised address, Park said she would accept a special investigation by an independent counsel if necessary, as well as questioning by the ongoing prosecutorial probe. She also renewed her apology, saying she felt heartbroken due to the "irreversible scars" the scandal had left on citizens' minds.