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South Korea struggles to find a prime minister South Korea struggles to find a prime minister
(2 months later)
South Korean President Park Geun-hye's dwindling political South Korean President Park Geun-hye's dwindling political fortunes have taken another hit after her second nominee for prime minister was forced to withdraw because of past remarks about Japanese colonial rule.
fortunes have taken another hit after her second nominee for prime "I wanted to help President Park Geun-Hye. But I believe that my resignation is the way to help her at this point," Moon Chang-keuk told a press conference.
minister was forced to withdraw because of past remarks about Japanese
colonial rule.
"I wanted to help President Park Geun-Hye. But I believe that my
resignation is the way to help her at this point," Moon Chang-keuk told a
press conference.
"So today I'm giving up my nomination for the prime minister," he said."So today I'm giving up my nomination for the prime minister," he said.
A political novice, the 65-year-old former journalist had been a A political novice, the 65-year-old former journalist had been a surprise choice from the start and his nomination swiftly became a political battleground because of past comments about issues related to Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.
surprise choice from the start and his nomination swiftly became a Park has had problems with a number of her key political appointments and Moon's withdrawal is a further blow at a time when her popularity ratings are already at their lowest ebb following the Sewol ferry disaster in April.
political battleground because of past comments about issues related to The prime minister's job fell open after incumbent Chung Hong-Won resigned amid strident public criticism of the government's response to the Sewol tragedy which claimed around 300 lives, mostly schoolchildren.
Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. Park tried to replace him with Ahn Dai-hee, a former supreme court justice, but he was forced to withdraw his nomination following controversy over income he amassed after leaving the bench and going into private practice.
Park has had problems with a number of her key political
appointments and Moon's withdrawal is a further blow at a time when her
popularity ratings are already at their lowest ebb following the Sewol
ferry disaster in April.
The prime minister's job fell open after incumbent Chung Hong-Won
resigned amid strident public criticism of the government's response to
the Sewol tragedy which claimed around 300 lives, mostly
schoolchildren.
Park tried to replace him with Ahn Dai-hee, a
former supreme court justice, but he was forced to withdraw his nomination following controversy over income he amassed after leaving
the bench and going into private practice.
The premiership is a largely symbolic position in South Korea, where all real power lies in the presidential Blue House. But it is the only cabinet post requiring parliamentary approval and Moon would have had to endure a rough confirmation hearing.The premiership is a largely symbolic position in South Korea, where all real power lies in the presidential Blue House. But it is the only cabinet post requiring parliamentary approval and Moon would have had to endure a rough confirmation hearing.
The controversy concerned remarks he made regarding two linked The controversy concerned remarks he made regarding two linked issues: Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula and the Japanese military's wartime use of sex slaves.
issues: Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula and In a 2011 church lecture Moon had described the repressive colonial period as "God's will" and in an editorial six years earlier said the terms of a 1965 treaty with Tokyo ruled out further compensation for South Korean women forced into Japanese military brothels.
the Japanese military's wartime use of sex slaves. Although Moon insisted his comments had been taken out of context, they triggered such a furore that even members of Park's ruling Saenuri party began voicing doubts about his nomination.
In a 2011 church lecture Moon had described the repressive For two weeks, Moon said he had no intention of stepping down but the criticism showed no sign of abating and it appears that Park herself finally advised him to pull out.
colonial period as "God's will" and in an editorial six years earlier In a statement issued by the presidency, Park said it was "extremely regrettable" that Moon had been judged in the court of public opinion without being able to properly defend himself.
said the terms of a 1965 treaty with Tokyo ruled out further "I hope he will be given an opportunity to correct the wrong information given about him, so that he and the family will not spend the rest of their lives in pain and dishonour," the statement said.
compensation for South Korean women forced into Japanese military In his press briefing on Tuesday Moon voiced no regret over his past remarks but acknowledged that his nomination had begun a subject of "confrontation and division".
brothels. There were flashes of anger as he denounced the lawmakers who he felt had denied him the right to a confirmation hearing, saying they had been swayed by "biased and ever-shifting" public opinion.
Although Moon insisted his comments had been taken out of
context, they triggered such a furore that even members of Park's ruling
Saenuri party began voicing doubts about his nomination.
For two weeks, Moon said he had no intention of stepping down but the criticism showed no sign of abating and it appears that Park
herself finally advised him to pull out.
In a statement issued by the presidency, Park said
it was "extremely regrettable" that Moon had been judged in the court of
public opinion without being able to properly defend himself.
"I hope he will be given an opportunity to correct the wrong
information given about him, so that he and the family will not spend
the rest of their lives in pain and dishonour," the statement said.
In his press briefing on Tuesday Moon voiced no regret over his
past remarks but acknowledged that his nomination had begun a subject
of "confrontation and division".
There were flashes of anger as he denounced the lawmakers who
he felt had denied him the right to a confirmation hearing, saying they
had been swayed by "biased and ever-shifting" public opinion.