South Korea must build stability after Park’s fall

At last, what South Koreans accomplished was least expected. The country’s Constitutional Court removed President Park Geun-hye from office in a unanimous 8 to 0 decision. The court’s decision marked the most stunning downfall for the South Korea’s first female leader. The ruling allows possible criminal proceedings against 65-year-old Park and makes her country’s first democratically elected leader to be removed from office since democracy replaced dictatorship in the late 1980s. Now, Park will have to leave the presidential Blue House. The ruling triggers an election that must be held within 60 days, with opposition figures leading in polls. Park entered the Blue House in 2012, riding on the wave of sympathy for her late dictator father Park Chung hee. But she fell from grace all too soon.
Acting Chief Justice Lee Jung-mi accused Park of colluding with her friend Choi Soon-sil to extort tens of millions of dollars from businesses for dubious charitable foundations and letting Choi to intervene in state affairs and allowing her to see state secrets. Lee said Park’s actions violated the constitution and law and betrayed the public trust and so “she is dismissed.”
On the other hand, Park’s lawyer, Seo Seok-gu, lambasted the verdict a ‘tragic decision’ made under popular pressure. He questioned the fairness of what he called a ‘kangaroo court’. Some of Park’s supporters reacted with anger after the ruling, shouting and hitting police officers and reporters with plastic flag poles and steel ladders and climbing on police buses. Anti-Park protesters celebrated by marching in the streets near the Blue House, carrying flags, signs and an effigy of Park dressed in prison clothes and tied up with rope. Three people died while protesting Park’s removal.
Park had begun her presidential journey on the right footing, reaffirming ties with the US, promising to build trust with North Korea and signing a free trade agreement with Australia. But the Sewol ferry disaster was a big blow to her leadership. Park’s approval ratings crashed from above 70% to 40% in the aftermath of ferry disaster. And then came influence-peddling scandal that rocked South Korea. Pre-verdict surveys showed that 70 to 80 percent of South Koreans wanted the court to approve Park’s impeachment.
Park’s ouster has worsened South Korea’s political and security uncertainty. Seoul is already facing existential threats from North Korea, economic retaliation from China over cooperation with the US on THAAD.
In South Korea, just below the surface have always lurked deep social and political divisions — between conservative and liberal, rich and poor, men and women. The entrenched elite often seemed beyond the reach of rule of law. It was this feeling that galvanized the disenchanted to rise against the high and mighty. Now, the energized citizenry can point to concrete proof that they can make a real difference when they’re united. But Park’s ouster would further polarize the country and cause violence. With Park gone and elections are due within two-months, whoever takes country’s helm must make it a priority to steer South Korea towards peace, stability and prosperity.