Lineup includes politicians, economists, former administrators and business executives


Saenuri Party presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye is hitting her stride in the presidential race by releasing the schedule for her formal bid declaration and the composition of her election campaign team.

Under the slogan “citizens’ happiness,” Park’s campaign is primarily focused on economic policies aimed to create a “fair” economy by curbing chaebol irregularities, supporting small businesses and expanding welfare programs.

Her appointment of key foreign affairs and defense figures from the former Roh Moo-hyun administration of her opposing political party also garnered attention. It was perceived as an attempt to differentiate her vision from the Lee Myung-bak administration’s stern approach toward Pyongyang while inter-Korean relations remain poor.

The former chairwoman will be making the much-awaited declaration of her presidential bid at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, which will signal the full-fledged mobilization of her campaign team.

The team members, ranging from former big-wig lawmakers to political and economic professors, ex-administrators and former business executives, are expected to play a key role in materializing Park’s ideas, as the majority of them have been helping the hopeful draw up her policies since her first presidential bid in 2007.

The two top members of the campaign committee are economist-turned-politician Kim Chong-in, who will supervise the policymaking arm of the camp, and former National Assembly Vice Speaker Hong Sa-duck, who is expected to oversee political affairs and overall operation.

The 31-member organization is grouped into divisions responsible for campaign management and public relations, along with committees on policy planning and political development, as well as a group of special advisers.

The policy planning committee is headed by Kim Chong-in, who penned the term “economic democratization” for the 1987 Constitution. Kim is joined by Kim Kwang-doo, head of Park’s think tank the National Future Research Center, who is said to be a core policy mentor to Park. He also helped Park draw up her “disciplined capitalism” idea stated from her 2009 Stanford University speech, as well as her 2007 presidential pledge to reduce tax, alleviate regulations and uphold the legal order.

Former Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo, former Senior Presidential Secretary for Security Policy Yun Byung-se and former vice chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries Hyun Myung-kwan are also on the committee along with two economist-turned-lawmakers, Reps. An Chong-bum and Kang Seog-hoon.

Kim Jang-soo, who is keen on implementing military reform, served as a proportional representative for the then-Grand National Party in the 18th Assembly after he resigned from a ministerial post. Kim is also famous for not having bowed his head in greeting late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il when he accompanied late President Roh Moo-hyun on the 2007 inter-Korean summit. During his parliamentary days, Kim had emphasized he was politically neutral and simply pro-military.

Yun Byung-se is a former diplomat said to be well-respected by his peers. Since entering the Foreign Ministry in 1977, Yun played key roles in U.S. affairs as well as in dealing with Japan. Yun has also been an advocate of active inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation.

A separate committee has also been set up solely for political affairs and it is joined by professor Lee Sang-don, former member of Park’s emergency committee for the April 11 general elections, and professor Park Hyo-chong of Seoul National University.

Rep. Lee Sang-il and lawyer-turned-politician Cho Yoon-sun are named as Park’s spokespersons.

Another attention-grabbing designation was that of Korean-American Johnny Yune, a renowned former talk show host. Yune will be helping Park win support from overseas Koreans.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)