영국의 BBC방송이 박근혜 대통령의 방문을 앞두고 특집기사로 소개했다.
BBC는 1일 아버지 박정희 전 대통령시절과 지난해 대선과정, 올초 집권이후 대북관계, 국정원 사태 등에 걸쳐 지극히 객관적인 시각으로 조명해 눈길을 끌었다.
1974년 어머니를 문세광의 총격에 잃고 아버지마저 측근에 의해 암살된 비극의 가족사는 물론, 출신대학과 전공, 결혼하지 않았다는 부분까지 다루는 등 ‘박근혜 대통령의 프로필’이라는 기사 제목에 걸맞게 상세한 소개를 했다.
또한 박정희 전대통령의 독재와 그 시절 자행된 아버지의 인권탄압에 대해 후보 시절 사과했지만 5.16군사쿠데타는 필요했다는 시각을 드러내고 국정원의 선거개입 등 부정적인 부분도 여과없이 전했다.
BBC는 “박근혜 대통령은 청와대가 낯설지 않다. 20년 가까이 한국을 통치한 박정희 전 대통령의 딸인 그녀는 22세때 아버리를 노리던 북한의 암살자에 의해 어머니가 돌아가신후 5년동안 청와대에서 퍼스트레이디 역할을 맡았다”고 소개했다.
또한 “1961년 군사쿠데타로 집권후 1979년 중앙정보부장에 의해 암살된 박정희 대통령은 경제개발로 신뢰를 얻었지만 무자비하게 반대자들을 탄압하고 민주주의 발전을 지연시켰다는 비판을 받고 있다”고 말했다.
이어 “박정희정권의 인권탄압에 대해 지난해 9월 박근혜후보가 사과했지만 군사쿠데타가 필요했다는 뜻도 표명했다”면서 “이는 젊은 유권자들이 그녀가 아버지 시대와의 단절할 뜻이 없다고 경계하는 빌미가 됐다”고 전했다.
“대선에서 아버지의 후광과 퍼스트레이디의 경험이 남성 유권자들의 편견을 극복하는데 도움이 됐다”고 언급한 BBC는 “대선공약에서 국민화합과 경제민주주의와 사회복지 증진을 내세우며 북한에 더 적극적으로 다가갈 것을 약속했지만 북한의 3차핵실험으로 그녀의 대북정책은 진전을 보지 못하고 있다”고 덧붙였다.
이와 함께 “지난해 대선에서 국정원 요원들이 박근혜 후보를 돕기 위해 야당의 후보를 비방하는 댓글을 인터넷에 게재한 의혹이 집권 첫해를 뒤덮고 있다”면서 “원세훈 전 국정원장이 여러 건의 혐의로 재판을 기다리고 있다”는 사실도 전했다.
BBC는 박대통령이 ‘스스로 의심살만한 일을 한적은 없지만 국가기관들이 선거에 개입했다는 의혹이 제기됐다’고 말한 내용과 함께 투명한 조사를 약속한 사실을 전했다.
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Profile: South Korean President Park Geun-hye
The daughter of a former president, she was sworn in on 25 February 2013 - days after North Korea's third nuclear test.
In her inauguration speech, she promised to prioritise both national security and economic revitalisation.
To North Korea, she offered a step-by-step trust-building process, but vowed she would not tolerate any action that threatened national security.
Months of tension with the communist North followed - including the first closure of the inter-Korean Kaesong industrial zone.
By the time Ms Park marked six months in power, relations with Pyongyang had stabilised somewhat, with talk of a possible resumption of family reunions and inter-Korean tours.
But speaking in early October to mark Armed Forces Day, the president described the situation on the Korean Peninsula as "very grave".
Father's shadow
Ms Park, 61, is no stranger to South Korea's presidential house. She is the daughter of former President Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for almost two decades.
At the age of just 22, she was thrust into the political limelight, becoming South Korea's first lady when her mother was shot dead in 1974 - hit by a North Korean assassin's bullet that was intended for her husband.
For five years, Ms Park was charged with receiving the spouses of foreign heads of state at the Blue House, South Korea's presidential residence.
Her father, who seized power in a military coup in 1961, ruled until he was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979.
Some say the association with her father - and her experiences as first lady - helped her overcome some deeply-held prejudices among male voters.
But while Mr Park was credited with boosting South Korea's economy, he was also accused of ruthlessly crushing dissent and delaying democratic development.
Amid debate over his legacy ahead of her presidential run, Ms Park in September 2012 issued a public apology for human rights abuses committed under her father.
However, she also described his 1961 coup as necessary, which alienated some younger voters who were wary of Ms Park's unwillingness to fully renounce her father.
Ms Park is not married - something that has exposed her to comment in South Korea's conservative society - and is seen as a private individual.
She holds an engineering degree from Sogang University in Seoul and was first elected to South Korea's National Assembly in 1998.
She sought the presidency in 2007, but her Saenuri, or New Frontier Party, instead nominated Lee Myung-bak, who went on to win.
'Political neutrality'
As part of her presidential campaign, Ms Park pledged to prioritise "national reconciliation", and improve "economic democracy" and social welfare.
She also promised greater engagement with North Korea than under her predecessor - but that policy had to be suspended following Pyongyang's third nuclear test on 12 February 2013.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye (R on vehicle) and Defence Minister Kim Kwan-jin (C) inspect troops on Armed Forces Day on 1 October 2013. Ms Park has offered conditional engagement with the North In the weeks after the test, as the UN expanded sanctions on North Korea, and Seoul and Washington held joint military exercises, Pyongyang upped its rhetoric significantly.
It threatened attacks on US military bases and on targets in South Korea and Japan, cut off communication hotlines with the South and in April pulled all its worked out of the joint Kaesong industrial zone.
Tensions remained high for several months but then eased, allowing the Kaesong zone to reopen in September.
Since then the two sides have taken small steps towards engagement - such as planning to restart reunions of families separated by the division of the Korean peninsula - but the first such meeting was cancelled by the North.
Ms Park said South Korea had to build a "strong deterrent" against the North.
"Only when watertight security that does not permit provocations is in place will we be able to lead the North to take the path of genuine changes while safeguarding peace," she said in early October.
Allegations that some staff at South Korea's spy agency interfered in Ms Park's favour in last year's presidential election by posting online comments criticising her election rival have also dominated her first year in office.
Former National Intelligence Service chief Won Sei-hoon is awaiting trial on multiple charges and Ms Park has promised a transparent investigation.
"Even if I myself did nothing that may arouse suspicion, suspicions have been raised that national agencies might have interfered with the election," she said.
"From now on, the government will make sure that not only government agencies ... but also individual public employees won't breach political neutrality even inadvertently."
*Park Geun-hye
Daughter of former President Park Chung-hee
Served as South Korea's first lady after her mother was murdered by a North Korean gunman in 1974
First elected to the national assembly in 1998
First bid for the presidency in 2007
Has promised to redistribute wealth, reform big conglomerates and seek greater engagement with North Korea
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