“The National System Is Collapsing”... Park Geun-hye’s Call on Jang Dong-hyeok to “Reclaim Power”

[Financial News] People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok said former President Park Geun-hye had strongly urged him at a recent luncheon meeting to recruit talent and reform the electoral system in order to win the next general election and reclaim power.
Jang appeared on MBN’s “Current Affairs Special: Jung Woon-gap’s In-Depth Analysis” on the 1st and disclosed details of his luncheon conversation with former President Park on the 25th of last month. Jang met with her when she came to Seoul to pay her respects at the grave of her father, the late former President Park Chung-hee, at Seoul National Cemetery on the 47th anniversary of his death.
According to Jang, during the meeting, former President Park said, “With the Lee Jae Myung administration in power, various systems in the Republic of Korea are collapsing,” and stressed, “To firmly protect our market economy and liberal democratic system, we need to bring in good people with a firm conviction that these systems must be protected.” She went on to emphasize, “We must bring in good people, win the next general election, and use that as a basis to take back power; only then can we protect the systems of the Republic of Korea.”
She also called for an overhaul of the election administration system and measures to ensure its fairness. Jang said, “She told me that while it is important for me, as party leader, to deal with various pending issues, we must see through to results on reforming the electoral system and the National Election Commission of the Republic of Korea (NEC), so that suspicions do not arise again in the wake of this ballot paper shortage incident.” Jang had also called for an investigation into the ballot paper shortage during the June 3 local elections and reform of the NEC when he visited former President Park’s birthplace in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, on the 30th of last month.
Secretary-General Jeong Hee-yong, who was also present at the luncheon, likewise relayed Park’s main remarks to the media. According to Jeong, Park congratulated Jang on setting a record for the longest tenure as party leader and encouraged him, saying, “Lead the party well with Jang at the center, and keep the ruling party in check so the country can do well.” She was also reported to have remarked that she was concerned about historical distortions by the left being taught through films and other media, and to have expressed concern about the recent security situation, including North Korea’s landmine provocations.

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