After rallying to make the impeachment of a corrupt leader a reality, Koreans will have
a hand in a reset a fresh start, by electing a new leader next month.
Wounds from the scandal may heal, but scars remain...
so it will not be an easy choice.
Oh Jung-hee peels out the layers to find out what Koreans want from their next leader.
"The respondent President Park Geun-hye is expelled from office."
" "
With those words, Park Geun-hye became the first sitting president in South Korea's constitutional
history to be impeached.
But that was not the end of the odyssey -- for her or the country.
Park was arrested on 13 charges including abuse of power, sharing classified state documents,
bribery and extortion.
Her impeachment triggered a snap election scheduled on May 9th... more than seven months
earlier than planned.
All of this has given citizens a lot to think about what kind of leader they want next.
"Communication has to be the basis for any policy to be executed smoothly.
The next president should be willing to talk things out with the people and other politicians."
"Actions speak louder than words.
The leader shouldn't be swayed by the people surrounding him or her, but should stand firm
on what he or she should do and have the strength to move things forward."
"The country has to be the top priority for the leader.
The president should care and embrace each and every citizen and bring them all together."
Some people didn't stop there... but went on to suggest a few specific areas the next
president should focus on.
"South Korea is having a hard time keeping its balance in its relations with the U.S.
and China.
I hope the next president will have a solid diplomatic strategy... and coordinate with
other countries to secure South Korea's national interest."
"People think that they don't earn as much as they should for their work and that's because
the country's wealth is not distributed fairly.
I hope the next president will work to alleviate income polarization."
What these citizens have told Arirang corresponds with the results of a poll conducted by the
Seoul-based Korea Broadcasting System and Yonhap News Agency late last year.
Over 2-thousand adults were asked about which leadership quality is most essential for the
next president to have.
Topping the list was the "ability to communicate with public,"... chosen by over 40-percent
of respondents.
Having a vision for the economy was next,... followed by charisma and decisiveness... and
strength on unification and national security policy.
"It's an early presidential election after the impeachment of a president.
To prevent the painful history from being repeated, citizens want a leader who's democratic
and willing to accept public opinion.
They also want someone who takes the initiative to resolve the issues Korea faces -- like
the threats from North Korea, conflicts with China and Japan and a sluggish economy.
These things are complexly intertwined."
Experts say that with this election in particular, coming after the impeachment of one leader,
it's especially important for voters to give careful consideration to who they want to
guide them next --- without falling into old habits.
"Up to now, people have voted based on party or regional affiliation.
Instead, people should choose the PERSON they think is the most appropriate for South Korea
now.
It's not easy as it sounds, but people should drop their preconceptions and choose a candidate
who will have good judgment in times of crisis, a person who is persuasive and can put policy
into action."
"This election is an even more difficult one for Koreans... not only because it takes place
after the president was impeached,... but also because the country is facing myriad
challenges on the economic and diplomatic fronts.
People say...
what the country needs most is trusted leader with a strategy for resolving these issues.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News."