Park Geun-hye and UFP

'Message of unity' not helpful for virus fight

Imprisoned former President Park Geunhye has delivered a message of unity to her supporters and conservative voters. The move is politically significant in that the ballooning outbreak of the new coronavirus is weighing on the Moon Jaein administration with the crucial general election only six weeks away.

In a handwritten letter made public by her lawyer, Wednesday, she showed her clear intention to influence the election. Her message may be encouraging for the "Taegeukgi Unit," a group of die-hard Park supporters and loyalists who have been holding street rallies demanding her release from prison, and calling for the impeachment of Moon. But it is a tricky question whether it will have the desired effect on the upcoming election considering her weakened political influence since her impeachment in 2017, and the absence of a powerful, charismatic conservative leader who can unify conservatives and gain the confidence of swing voters.

In the letter, Park said all conservatives should rally around the existing "giant" opposition party, referring to the United Future Party (UFP), and firmly join together to make the Republic of Korea a better country. "I will be with you," she wrote.

Park is certainly a symbolic figure for conservatives. Many of them still remember the victories the conservative party earned in major elections thanks to her. But she is no longer the "Election Queen."

So when UFP leader Hwang Kyoahn, who served as prime minister under the Park administration, described Park's letter as a "delightful gift" to conservatives, saying "her words are worth their weight in gold," it was also in a sense a moment of truth. Under Hwang, the party has repeatedly vowed to overcome the legacy of the jailed former President, but it has been proven that Park is still a major factor for the party. Rather, Hwang is apparently using her influence to consolidate his position. This is not desirable for the future of the UFP because Hwang's ｅxpression of "loyalty" to Park will certainly be a divisive factor for conservatives after the election.

Putting aside a controversy over whether the revelation of Park's letter was a violation of the Election Law, Park deserves criticism for her attempt to influence voters. It is not helpful at all for UFP members who are seeking to run in the April 15 polls. There are also suspicions that she may have written such a letter to divert public attention from mounting rumors about her possible ties to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive cult that has been at the center of the rapid spread of the new coronavirus in Korea.

Some politicians claimed Park's letter was tantamount to a declaration that the UFP is her party and that she will resume her political activities. It came as a surprise to many, but what was more surprising was UFP Chairman Hwang's eulogizing her. This cannot be good news for the party.