S.Korean dictator’s daughter apologizes for abuses

The ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential hopeful Park Geun-Hye leaves after a news briefing at the party headquarters in Seoul on September 24, 2012. The ruling party candidate in South Korea’s presidential election apologised on September 24 for human rights abuses during the repressive rule of her late father, military strongman Park Chung-Hee. AFP/YONHAP

SEOUL – The ruling party candidate in South Korea’s presidential election apologized Monday for human rights abuses during the repressive rule of her late father, military strongman Park Chung-Hee.

Under increasing pressure to clarify her position on her father’s 1961-79 rule, Park Geun-Hye offered her “sincere apologies to those who suffered and were wounded during this period, and to their families.”

Her comments were made in a 10-minute speech to reporters that was broadcast live from her conservative New Frontier Party headquarters.

Park, who one month ago seemed a firm favourite to become South Korea’s first woman president, has lost ground in opinion polls in recent weeks to her left-leaning rivals, Moon Jae-In and Ahn Cheol-Soo.

The weakening support was partly attributed to what were seen as her ambiguous statements on her father’s legacy, which remains a deeply divisive and emotive subject in South Korea.

Park Chung-Hee, who seized power in a 1961 military coup and ruled with an iron hand until his assassination in 1979, is credited with laying the foundations for the country’s economic rise.

Admirers say his autocratic style was necessary to lift South Korea out of poverty, while critics say he stalled democratic progress by ruthlessly crushing all opposition during a period marked by systemic human rights abuses.

In her comments on Monday, Park Geun-Hye sought to balance the two sides, stressing the special circumstances her father faced while apologising for the excesses that ensued.

“For my father, economic growth and national security were the two most pressing issues for the country,” she said.

“Behind the stellar growth were sacrifices by workers who suffered under a repressive labor environment.

“Behind the efforts for national security to protect (ourselves) from North Korea were human rights abuses committed by state power,” she said.