With the burgeoning scandal involving President Park Geun-hye’s confidante plunging the nation into a state of crisis, scholars across the political spectrum have voiced concern the nepotism scandal has undermined South Korea’s democracy.

In order to address the problem, political analysts said, the president should transfer her power to what they described as a “neutral Cabinet” and limit her role to “nominal head of state,” such as that of the United Kingdom.

“President Park is not able to exercise her power and has lost legitimacy completely,” said Yoon Pyeong-joong, a political philosophy professor at Hanshin University in a phone interview with The Korea Herald on Tuesday.

The professor said the president is also “incapable of” dealing with foreign affairs and security matters, noting those issues are as important as other domestic issues to South Korea. “Park should back down from the role of president,” Yoon said. 

Since Park apologized for leaking presidential speeches by Cheong Wa Dae staff members to Choi Soon-sil, Park’s long-time friend, a series of other allegations have emerged that Choi also had access to secret documents dealing with Seoul’s approach to North Korea. 

Confronted with mounting political pressure that has sent her approval ratings to an all-time low, the president ordered the resignation of her senior presidential secretaries, and Cheong Wa Dae has vowed to conduct a personnel overhaul.

But the president has been accused of not taking what critics view as her “biggest crisis” seriously. Cheong Wa Dae blocked prosecutors from seizing their documents and the president has yet to make any official further comments after her two-minute apology last week.  

Yoon Tae-gon, a senior political analyst at Moa Agenda Strategy, said the only solution to overcome the crisis is for the president to allow prosecutors to investigate her. Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling Saenuri Party insisted the incumbent president shouldn’t be subject to prosecution and, therefore, investigation.

“It seems to me that the president is holding back the effort to address the current crisis,” said Yoon Tae-gon, a senior political analyst at Moa Agenda Strategy “Park shouldn’t sit down and watch the prosecutorial investigation like an outsider.”

Regarding the political parties, analysts said that both the president’s governing Saenuri Party and the opposition bloc should agree to build “neutral Cabinet,” in which the Assembly elect a prime minister who names other Cabinet members.

Until now, rival parties have differed over how to form a new Cabinet. Opposition parties, who control the Assembly, pledged to block a Saenuri-led Cabinet, saying the ruling party is trying to elect key posts, including the premiership, in their favor.

Analysts said that while they understand the concern over Cheong Wa Dae and Saenuri’s sway over the formation of new Cabinet, Minjoo Party of Korea and People’s Party should stop political bickering and push for the measure.

“Now, the ball is in the court of the Minjoo Party,” said Lee Nae-young, a professor of comparative politics at Korea University. “While letting the president elect a Prime Minster, Minjoo can recommend only neutral politicians.”

Professor Lee warned that if the main opposition continued to be reluctant, the public would assail their motive of opposition. If the people begin to assume they are only thinking about their interests in the 2017 presidential election, they would face trouble,” said Lee.

The beleaguered Saenuri, the analysts said, should overhaul themselves by replacing its leadership dominated by faction close to the president. Instead, more centrist members should take over and try to better resonate with average voters critical of Park’s leadership.

“Saenuri leadership has been working for a front office for Cheong Wa Dae and thus their role has come to an end” said Analyst Yoon Tae-gon, adding that Saenuri leader Rep. Lee Jung-hyun, standard-bearer of pro-Park faction, should give in to mounting pressure for resignation. 

Pointing to the role of civil society who brought down authoritarian governments in the 1960s and the 80s through grassroots protests, the analysts said that the government should let the protesters speak out and express their views.

“Any establishment in society has never given up their power voluntarily,” said Professor Yoon. “What is happening is power struggle between the president and civic society. The president and her inner circle should let the public speak out.”

By Yeo Jun-suk (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)