Gumi: Former President Park Geun-hye visited the birthplace of her father, late President Park Chung-hee, on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 73-year-old Park paid tribute at a memorial dedicated to her father in Gumi, about 260 kilometers southeast of Seoul. This visit came three days after People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo paid tribute at the birthplaces of both the late President Park and Park's mother, Yook Young-soo. Kim also made a courtesy call on Park Geun-hye during his visit.
Park's visit is seen as part of her continued engagement with the political landscape, especially among conservative circles. In his efforts to appeal to conservative voters, Kim praised the late president's contributions to South Korea's economic development and pledged to help restore the reputation of Park Geun-hye, who was impeached and removed from office in 2017 on charges of bribery and abuse of power.
Park expressed her motivation for the visit, stating, "I saw candidate Kim Moon-soo visiting my father's birthplace here in Gumi and my mother's birthplace in Okcheon a few days ago, and it made me really want to visit as well." She also indicated plans to visit her mother's birthplace later in the day, reflecting on the country's current challenges and her parents' legacy.
Her public appearance is interpreted as a symbolic gesture aimed at energizing conservative voters ahead of the June 3 presidential election, where Kim is trailing the Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung.
The late President Park remains a significant figure in South Korea's modern history. He is credited by conservatives for driving rapid economic development, while also facing criticism from liberals for the suppression of pro-democracy movements.