In politics, especially for a top-level leader, it often pays to set aside self-esteem and earnestly admit one’s shortcomings in public. It is this humble gesture of introspection and allusion to betterment that touches the doubting heart amid challenging situations.

President Park Geun-hye, however, seems to be in denial of such dynamics as she has once again pointed her finger at political parties instead of shouldering blame as the nation’s top official in charge.

When Park invited the chief editors of local media to a luncheon meeting on Tuesday for the first time in three years, anticipation rose that the state leader may at last be open to criticism and show a willingness to change.

But throughout the 130-minute session, the president sidestepped most of the issues that called her to account.

“The presidential post is to assume unlimited responsibility toward the people and the nation, but I found that there was very little I could do as president,” she said.

“I have visited the National Assembly, invited key officials for talks, repeatedly called for their support in revitalizing the economy, but to no avail.”

These self-defending remarks, in fact, came in response to a question asking whether she considered the result of the April 13 general election as the people’s disapproval of the current administration.

Park, instead of mentioning the underachievement of the ruling conservative Saenuri Party, shifted the blame to the opposition, mainly The Minjoo Party of Korea.

“The people felt the need to pull out the parliament from its bipartisan feuds and legislative stagnancy, which is why they created a new tripartite frame, hoping for improved power balance,” she said, referring to rise of the runner-up opposition People’s Party.

She neither recognized the public’s criticism of the government, nor mentioned her feud-ridden home party, which lost its parliamentary majority and slipped to the No. 2 in-house party.

The evasive answers naturally failed to satisfy the senior journalists, leading another participant to rephrase the question.

“I would like to ask, once and for all, whether you consider the election result as a judgment solely upon the legislature or also upon (the president’s) state affairs,” said one of the chief editors present at the luncheon.

Even this hard-hitting query could not elicit a meaningful response from Park.

“Based on various analysis and criticism regarding the election result, I am seeking to better embrace the public sentiment and to improve people’s livelihoods by cooperating with the parliament,” was her reply.

Park also spent several minutes elaborating on her own hardships.

“I have come all the way to presidency to improve the lives of the people, I sleep fitfully at night, struggling to realize such goals, yet I feel helpless and hurt that I should be held back (by the legislature),” she said.

The president’s self-centered attitude tested the patience of even the most administration-friendly newspapers. Chosun Ilbo, the leading conservative paper here, in its editorial questioned the cogency of her words which it described as buck-passing.

Park may take this negative turn from the media as a “betrayal” of public sentiment, but it may now be time for her to ponder whether or not she was the one who betrayed people’s expectations.

Looking back on her turbulent 18-year political career, she should certainly remember that it was often her unassuming attitude amid troubled times that won her the most cheers.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)