Monday, February 25, 2013
New South Korean President
South Korea's new president, Park Geun-hye, was sworn in today in front of over 70,000 people in Seoul. Ostensibly she is a newcomer to Korean politics, but since she is the daughter of former South Korean dictator, Park Chung-hee, she has never been far from the Korean spotlight.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/25/park-geun-hye-korean-president
This article from The Guardian describes her inaugural address, and quotes the new president proclaiming, "I will not tolerate any action that threatens the lives of our people and the security of the nation. I urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions without delay and embark on the path to peace and shared development."
This quote verbatim would not seem out of place had it been said by President Obama or a US diplomat. Regardless of what your views on nuclear proliferation are, comments like this infringe on the sovereignty of governments, as they proclaim what others can and can't have. The exact same tone is used when the US denounces Iran's nuclear program.
This article also brings in the North Korean perspective on the inauguration. Unlike the majority of the Western media, it cites a legitimate North Korean grievance with South Korea and the US, writing, "North Korean state media marked her inauguration with a warning to the US and the South not to proceed with forthcoming military drills."
I think this article does a good job of placing Park Geun-hye's election and inauguration in historical context, as it also discusses her father's "brutal suppression of opponents during 18 years of rule that began with a military coup in 1961."
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