Former President Park Geun-hye called for unity within the People Power Party on the 27th, returning to her political home for the first time at an official party event.
Speaking at a retreat for the party's lawmakers held at Sonocalm Goyang in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Park said the party must "close ranks around the leadership, especially in difficult times." She added, "I ask the leadership to lead the party with a careful reading of where the public's will lies."
It was the first time Park has attended an official party event since she received a special pardon in late 2021. Even while in office, she never attended a party retreat before she was expelled from the party in November 2017.
Park Stresses Unity and Trust
The visit came together after Floor Leader Chung Jeom-sik invited her during a courtesy call to mark his appointment. It follows her campaign appearances for the June 3 local elections and a dinner meeting with lawmakers from the Yeongnam region earlier this month, and is seen as a step toward broadening her contact with the party in earnest.
The core of her speech was unity and trust. "The People Power Party is struggling now as a minority opposition party, but if it faces reality squarely and pulls its strength together, it can win the public's trust and become the majority party," Park said. "It will be able to take back power once again."
She placed particular emphasis on comradeship. "Internal division is a more fearsome enemy than any external one," she said. "Various opinions may arise within the party, but members must not hate or reject one another."
"The most important thing in politics is trust," Park said. "The nation must come before personal thinking, people's lives before small interests within the party, and the future of the Republic of Korea before political advantage." She added that genuine reform that resolves what the public urgently wants leads directly to a restoration of trust.
"The Special Counsel Probe Into the Election Commission Was Won Through Your Struggle"
Park also offered pointed criticism on current issues. "In times of crisis, such as North Korea's shows of force, a conservative party must take a more responsible stance than the governing party," she said, adding that "an economic recovery the public cannot feel is not a real recovery." She also said the special counsel investigation into the National Election Commission "was a result you won through your own struggle."
Over a speech lasting about 20 minutes, Park repeatedly used the words "the people" (26 times), "trust" and "faith" (nine times) and "comradeship" (four times). She made no direct reference to the past influence-peddling scandal or her impeachment.
The mood at the venue was enthusiastic. Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk and Floor Leader Chung greeted Park outside the hall, and inside the lecture room all attendees welcomed her with a standing ovation, with no visible divide between the old pro-Lee Myung-bak and pro-Park factions. Applause broke out 15 times during the speech. After the event, lawmakers lined up for commemorative photos and supporters asked for autographs.
Split Readings of the "Unity Around the Leadership" Message
Park's message about closing ranks around the leadership drew diverging interpretations within the party.
Jang's camp welcomed it as a show of support for the current leadership. "I will work to ensure the party unites around its leadership and fights properly against the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party of Korea," Jang said. Referring to the recent disciplinary action against members outside the leadership's control, he added, "Picking a fight with those inside the party is not faith or comradeship."
Representative Yoon Sang-hyun, a member of the former pro-Park faction, drew a line under such readings, saying the remarks were "simply a general expression of loyal concern, asking the party to unite and lead the country well."
