김지하, 독설?박근혜 지지로 논란

Published : Jan 9, 2013 - 17:39 Updated : Jan 9, 2013 - 18:36

1960년대와 70년대에 박정희 정권에 저항하는 대표적인 인물 중 하나였던 김지하 시인이 박근혜 당선인에 대한 지지 선언 이후 야권인사들에게 독설을 퍼부어 논란의 대상이 되고 있다.

김지하 (박현구/코리아헤럴드 사진기자)

김 시인은 지난 8일, CBS 라디오 ‘김현정의 뉴스쇼’에 출연해 민주통합당 문재인 전 대통령 후보에 대해 “형편없다”고 말하고 그의 공약이나 언행에 대해 “김대중, 노무현 뿐”이고 아무것도 없다고 평했다. 그는 또한 안철수에게 “매일 떠드는데 가만 보니 깡통”이라고 맹비난했다.

한편 김 시인은 과거 막말로 논란이 일고 있는 윤창중 대통령직인수위 대변인에 대해서 잘한 인사라고 하였으며, 대선에서 문재인 후보에게 표를 준 48%의 유권자에 대해 “공산화 좇는 세력”이라고 깎아 내렸다.

한국을 대표하는 저항문인이자 독재정권을 비판한 작품세계로 유명한 김 시인은 지난해 11월 박근혜 후보의 지지를 공개적으로 선언하면서 야권에 충격을 주었다.

그는 작품활동을 통해 70년대 독재정권을 통렬히 비난했는데, 부패한 정부관료들과 정치인들을 비판한 시 ‘오적’을 발표한 이후 반공법 위반 혐의로 수감된 적도 있었다.

김 시인은 1970년대 중반 민주주의에 대한 공헌도를 인정받아 아시아•아프리카작가회의에서 주는 로터스상을 수상했다. 당시 오랜 수감생활과 고문, 도피, 유랑 등으로 건강이 안 좋아지기도 했다. (코리아헤럴드)

Former pro-democracy activist shocks with liberal bashing

By Claire Lee

Poet Kim Ji-ha, a well-known dissident figure during former President Park Chung-hee’s authoritarian regime in the 1960s and ’70s, has been stirring up controversy since he abruptly announced his support for Park’s daughter and president-elect Park Geun-hye.

On Tuesday the 72-year-old poet shocked the public further with his bashing of Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo during an interview with a local radio station. Not mincing his words, Kim said Moon’s performance as a presidential candidate was “dreadful,” claiming the election campaign was “all about former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung” and had no solid pledge. The poet also called Ahn Cheol-soo “empty-headed” on the show. “He’d talk and talk everyday (during the campaign), but everything he said had no substance.”

The poet, who was imprisoned several times and who received the death sentence for his politically-resistant literary works and anti-government activities during former President Park’s regime, announced his support for then-candidate Park Geun-hye of the ruling Saenuri party in November of last year. Claiming that time was ripe for a woman’s leadership, Kim threw his weight behind his former tormentor’s daughter. The announcement caused much shock in the liberal opposition bloc, as Kim had been critical of former President Park’s dictatorship throughout his literary career.

Raising a fierce voice against authoritarian rule, Kim was imprisoned after the publication of “Five Thieves,” a collection of poems that openly criticized corrupt politicians and government officials.

On the radio show, Kim also said he agrees with a controversial remark made by Park Geun-hye’s chief spokesperson Yoon Chang-jung. Yoon, a former conservative columnist, received much public criticism after calling the 48 percent of the voters who gave support for Moon Jae-in “a group that is against this country.”

“(The 48 percent of the voters) are becoming communist because they are following the communist forces,” Kim said.

(dyc@heraldcorp.com)