Underdogs strike out at frontrunner over cash-for-candidacy


The ruling Saenuri Party’s frontrunner Park Geun-hye faced mounting pressure from her straggling rivals to take responsibility for the burgeoning cash-for-nomination scandal that has seemed to damage one of her flagship presidential campaign slogans to achieve political reform.

In a television debate late Tuesday night, the four underdogs attacked Park in unison, saying that as former chairwoman, she should accept responsibility for the suspected bribery between an elected lawmaker and a nomination team member.

The prosecution has been investigating the allegation that Rep. Hyun Young-hee paid her way into the National Assembly by bribing then-lawmaker Hyun Ki-hwan in March. A suspected middleman has been detained.

“Former chairwoman Park designated former lawmaker Hyun Ki-hwan, who is a key person in this scandal, as a member of the nomination committee, and attended forums arranged by another key person, Rep. Hyun Young-hee, four times,” Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Moon-soo, who trails second after Park, said.

“There were many questions raised over the nomination process … and still, as a person who had full authority, Park has never offered an apology,” he added.

Park retorted, “I have never said there was nothing that I may have responsibility over. However, this case is a suspected extortion between individuals.”

To former presidential chief-of-staff Yim Tae-hee, who claimed Hyun Ki-hwan was Park’s close confidante, Park shot back, “It seems like you are writing a ludicrous fiction.” But she did admit to naming Hyun Ki-hwan to the nomination committee.

Other contenders, former South Gyeongsang Gov. Rep. Kim Tae-ho and former Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo, also joined in lashing out at Park.

The Saenuri Party will wrap up its primary race next Monday at a national caucus. Park has been at a solid lead against the four.

On Wednesday, the Saenuri Party leadership also indicated a need for some gesture from Park as they tried to soothe the widening fissure over the scandal that has dealt a blow to the party’s reform drive.

“There are voices within and outside the party that say as a former chairwoman (Park) should hold some political responsibility over any corruption or problem that occurred, and it looks like a consensus is being made,” said Saenuri spokesman Hong Il-pyo in a radio interview.

Remaining vague yet hinting at regret, Park also commented while attending a ceremony commemorating her late mother, former first lady Yuk Young-soo, “I will try harder to fundamentally reform our politics and systemize it to create a clean and trustworthy politics,”.

Since the general elections when the Saenuri Party won with 152 seats, it lost two members because of thesis plagiarism and a sexual assault allegation. Another veteran member Rep. Chung Doo-un is facing a probe over alleged bribery in 2007.

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