Park Chung-hee hailed as greatest contributor to democratization at National Assembly forum
Claims glorifying former President Park Chung-hee as "the greatest contributor to democratization" were made at the 'Revolutionary Park Chung-hee' forum, co-hosted by the office of People Power Party lawmaker Lim I-ja and New Right-affiliated groups at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 22nd. The forum, also co-hosted by the New History National Movement and the Park Chung-hee Spirit Research Institute, was held that morning. It marks the second time that New Right groups — which drew controversy in August with a forum disparaging the May 18 Democratization Movement — have secured a National Assembly venue under the name of a People Power Party lawmaker.
Lee Young-hoon, former professor at Seoul National University, characterized the May 16 military coup as "a successful military revolution carried out under a sense of historic calling" and "our last revolution." He raised his voice, asking, "They call the three-term amendment and the October Yushu all coups. They call them illegal. Is that really so?" He also assessed Park's long dictatorship, saying, "The leadership of a capable, strong, and moral political leader is a blessing rarely enjoyed in history."
Joo Ik-jong, director of the Rhee Syngman Academy, argued, "Although freedom was temporarily restricted, it was the Yushu system that created the prototype of modern South Korea." Choi Kwang, chair professor at Daegu University who served as health and welfare minister under the Kim Young-sam government, claimed that "during former President Park's term, death sentences numbered 414, with only 8 actually carried out — all in the People's Revolutionary Party Reconstruction Committee case," and argued that democratization was possible thanks to Park's industrialization.
The People's Revolutionary Party Reconstruction Committee case that Professor Choi referenced was a 'judicial murder' in which eight people, including Do Ye-jong, were executed roughly 18 hours after their death sentences were finalized. In a 2007 retrial, the court acquitted all eight of the core charges.
The People Power Party kept its distance. Chief Spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon was reticent at the National Assembly that day, saying, "It was an event hosted by a lawmaker's office, and I have nothing particular to say." Lim, a co-host, did not attend the forum, citing a National Assembly audit, and within the party, first-term and senior lawmakers criticized Lim and the party leadership.
Ryu Seok-chun, co-chair of the New History National Movement, said in his welcome address that he was "deeply moved" that such an academic conference was being held at the Members' Office Building of the 22nd National Assembly, where the ruling Democratic Party holds an overwhelming majority. This event is the second such case following the May 18 forum, once again exposing the procedural vacuum that allows events promoting distorted historical views to be repeatedly held at the National Assembly.
