Saenuri candidate hit by funding probes into aides, controversy over her historical views


The Saenuri Party’s presidential nominee Park Geun-hye is facing the biggest crisis of her campaign over her views on history and a series of corruption scandals involving her associates.

With 90 days to go before the election, Park’s approval ratings in hypothetical two-way matchups put her behind rivals ― professor Ahn Cheol-soo and Democratic United Party candidate Moon Jae-in.

Former software business guru Ahn kick-started his presidential campaign Wednesday, opening a three-horse race for the December election.

Park’s woes further deepened on Thursday when another pro-Park figure came under investigation over an alleged violation of the political fund law.

First-term lawmaker Lee Jae-young is currently under investigation by Suwon prosecutors on allegations that he bribed party officials in a bid to win nomination in the April general elections.

In a separate case, the Seoul prosecution officials on the same day raided the home and office of Hong Sa-duk, a former co-head of Park’s primary campaign team, who is accused of taking 60 million won ($54,000) in illegal funds from a corporate owner before the April race.

He denied the charges but immediately left the party in an effort to contain any impact on candidate Park.

The news came shortly after former lawmaker Song Young-sun was reported to have urged a businessman to make financial donations.

Though her status in the party was low, the scandal dealt a blow to Park as Song has set herself up as a Park loyalist in recent years.

Rep. Park once again stressed on Wednesday her pledge to eradicate corruption but nevertheless suffered the fallout of the latest controversy.

According to a poll conducted by Realmeter on Tuesday and Wednesday, Park had 42.5 percent of respondents’ support, conceding her long-held lead to rival Ahn, who received 48.3 percent.

She also lost much of the public’s attention to discussion of the possibility of a unified liberal candidacy, dealing a blow to her ambition to take the upper hand in polls before the Chuseok holidays.

Ahn Dae-hee, chairman of the party’s special committee on political reform, set up a subcommittee to screen Park’s relatives and acquaintances to proof the candidate against further scandals.

The measure, however, led to charges that Park’s grand ambition to achieve fundamental renewal came down to nitpicking her aides’ faults.

Voices were raised within the party for Park to turn the tide through bold action, such as making explicit apologies for her controversial remarks, as well as for the funding scandals.

“Park needs to dampen down the ongoing disputes and kick off a central election committee as soon as possible,” said an official of her camp.

“There is no reason to delay the plan any longer as the three-way race has already started.”

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