Park under fire again over father's political legacy

 

(Yonhap) -- The ruling party's presidential candidate, Park Geun-hye, drew fire again Tuesday for refusing to criticize the legacy of her father and late President Park Chung-hee, under whom eight student activists were executed and subsequently cleared of wrongdoing.

On Monday, Park told a local radio talk show the courts gave two verdicts on the infamous "Inhyukdang" incident, saying history should judge the case.

A total of 23 alleged members of Inhyukdang, or the People's Revolution Party, were arrested in April 1974 and sentenced to death or up to life imprisonment on charges of violating the National Security Law.

Those arrested were mostly university students opposing the dictatorship of then President Park, and the widespread belief is that the government made up the charges to crack down on anti-government activities.

In 2007, the Seoul Central District Court cleared the eight who were executed of their charges.

Park's comments drew immediate criticism from the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP).

Speaking on the radio earlier in the day, DUP Chairman Lee Hae-chan accused Park of refusing to apologize for her father's "wrongdoing" in order to defend her political standing.

"The Supreme Court's death sentence in 1975 was destroyed and legally invalidated," he said. "(I) am seriously concerned about Park's distorted historical perceptions."

Park's historical judgment has constantly been put to the test as South Koreans remain divided over her father's 18-year rule, which was marked by rapid industrialization in the aftermath of the 1950-53 Korean War, but also brutal crackdowns on any form of dissent.

In July, Park said her father made "the best choice in an unavoidable situation" in reference to his 1961 military coup that brought him to power.

In 2007, she described the coup as a revolution to save the country.

Speaking to reporters as she entered the National Assembly Tuesday, Park said she believes the Inhyukdang incident should be judged by history because former members of the group have recently given "various testimonies."

A former member who later served as a lawmaker and a university chancellor wrote in an academic publication in 2010 that Inhyukdang did in fact exist and he remembered seeing its platform and rules when he joined the party.