Ruling party apologizes for Park’s remarks on executions

The ruling Saenuri Party apologized Wednesday for recent remarks by its presidential candidate, Park Geun-hye, which were seen as denying wrongdoing in the execution of eight activists in 1975 during her father’s rule.

On Monday, Park told a local radio show the courts gave two verdicts on the infamous “Inhyeokdang” incident, triggering fierce backlash from the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP).

A total of 23 alleged members of Inhyeokdang, or the People’s Revolution Party, were arrested in April 1974 and sentenced to death or up to life imprisonment on charges of violating the National Security Law.

Those arrested were mostly university students who opposed the dictatorship of then President Park Chung-hee, and the widespread belief is that the government made up the charges to crack down on anti-government activities.

In 2007, the Seoul Central District Court cleared the eight, who were executed in 1975, ruling they had been tortured into making false confessions.

“(We) admit candidate Park’s remarks had room for misunderstanding, and apologize,” Rep. Hong Il-pyo, a Saenuri spokesman, told reporters at the National Assembly. “(We) are also listening carefully to (criticism) that (Park’s) remarks related to history are inadequate.”

Park’s historical judgment has constantly been put to the test as South Koreans remain divided over her father’s 18-year rule, which was marked by rapid industrialization in the aftermath of the 1950-53 Korean War but also brutal crackdowns on any form of dissent.

In July, Park said her father made “the best choice in an unavoidable situation” in reference to the 1961 military coup in which he took power.

In 2007, she described the coup as a revolution to save the country. (Yonhap News)