President’s departure

대통령퇴진

President Park Geun-hye delivered her third national address Tuesday amid an impeachment push by opposition parties. In a five-minute speech, Park said that she will quit according to procedures set by the National Assembly.박근혜대통령에대한국회탄핵소추발의가임박한가운데발표된 29일 3차 대국민담화에서대통령은국회가정한절차에따라대통령직을내려놓겠다고밝혔다.

The address came on the back of a recommendation by some of her loyalists to resign in an honorable manner rather than being stripped of her office through impeachment.

3차 담화는 친박 핵심 중진들까지 탄핵을 통해 대통령직에서 내려오는 것보다명예롭게조기퇴진을제안한상황에서나왔다.

Although belated, Park’s announcement that she is willing to leave office before the end of her term in February 2018 should be an occasion to restore decency at Cheong Wa Dae and normalize state affairs. 늦었지만박대통령이임기전대통령직을내려놓겠다고밝힌것은청와대의도덕성을회복하고국정을정상화하는계기로작동해야한다. There are two things wrong with Park’s third message on the influence-peddling scandal.이번3차대국민담화에서는두가지오점이있었다. She mentioned “resignation procedures within the boundaries of law,” including cutting short her term.대통령은임기단축을포함한‘법절차에따른퇴진’을언급했다. First, Park once again put herself ahead of the nation by not announcing her immediate resignation. 먼저박 대통령은 즉각 사퇴를 표명하지 않음으로써 또 다시 나라보다는 자기 자신을먼저생각하는모습을보였다. It is irresponsible for the President to leave the decision of her fate to the Assembly rather than being clear about when she will leave office. 정확한 퇴진 시점을 밝히지 않은 채 자신의 거취 문제를 국회에 떠넘긴 것은 무책임하다. It is regrettable that Park is sticking to her unilateral ways even in the final phase of her presidency. 임기말에도대통령이일방적인자세를고수하는것이안타깝다.

Park deserves harsh criticism from civic groups and opposition parties that the third address is merely a tactic to cling to power rather than a sincere intention to step down. 시민단체와야당이3차담화가진정성있는퇴진발표가아닌임기채우기술책으로비난하는것도무리가아니다.

The ambiguity of her address on the timing of her departure will only lead to extensive political wrangling. After the address, the ruling Saenuri Party called on the opposition parties to terminate their push for an impeachment motion. But the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said it will still pursue impeachment procedures regardless of Park’s announcement to leave office early.

퇴진시점에대한모호함은국회를정쟁으로몰아가고있다. 3차담화후새누리당지도부는야당에게탄핵추진을중단할것으로촉구했으나민주당은퇴진담화와별개로탄핵절차를계속진행한다는입장이다. With Park in office, the nation cannot move forward. The parties should consider what is best for the country at a time when Korea faces grave challenges on security and on the economy. The Assembly should reach an agreement on the swift removal of the shamed president so that the nation can get ready to elect a new President as soon as possible. 박대통령이청와대에있는한나라가앞으로나아갈수 없다. 국회는안보경제등여러분야에서심각한도전을받고있는나라를위해어떤길이최선인지생각해야 한다. 대통령의 퇴진과 조기 대선을 위해 여야가 신속하게 합의해야한다. Another glaring problem of Park’s address is that it reflected the President’s lack of understanding of the gravity of her wrongdoings. 3차담화에서또문제가되는것은대통령이전혀죄의식이없다는것이다. The prosecution accused Park of conspiring with her friend Choi Soon-sil, who has been charged with abuse of power.검찰은최씨국정농단의혹사건과관련해대통령을공모한피의자로적시했다.

But Park still defended herself by saying that she has never sought personal gains throughout her political career and stressed that she has only worked for the national interest. 그러나 대통령은 정치하는동안사익을취한바가없고오직국익을위해일했다며자신을방어했다. It was not the time and place to make such excuses when the people are furious with her for refusing to be questioned by state prosecutors. 검찰조사를끝내거부해국민의분노가치솟고있는상황에서대국민담화중이런방어논리를펴는것은적절치못했다. She should deliver a full account of her part in the Choi scandal in the forthcoming independent counsel probe. 대통령은향후특검수사에서자신이관련된모든의혹에대해상세히진술해야한다.