Park Geun-hye

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In this Korean name, the family name is Park.

Her Excellency

Park Geun-hye

박근혜

11th President of South Korea

In office

25 February 2013 – 10 March 2017[a]

Prime Minister Chung Hong-won

Lee Wan-koo

Choi Kyoung-hwan (acting)

Hwang Kyo-ahn

Preceded by Lee Myung-bak

Succeeded by Hwang Kyo-ahn (Acting)

Moon Jae-in

Leader of the Saenuri Party

In office

19 December 2011 – 15 May 2012

Preceded by Hwang Woo-yea (Acting)

Succeeded by Hwang Woo-yea

Leader of the Grand National Party

In office

23 March 2004 – 15 June 2006

Preceded by Choi Byeong-yul

Succeeded by Kim Yeong-seon (Acting)

Member of the National Assembly

In office

30 May 2012 – 10 December 2012

Constituency Proportional representation

In office

3 April 1998 – 29 May 2012

Preceded by Kim Suk-won

Succeeded by Lee Jong-jin

Constituency Dalseong (Daegu)

First Lady of South Korea

 Acting

In role

16 August 1974 – 26 October 1979

President Park Chung-hee

Preceded by Yuk Young-soo

Succeeded by Hong Gi

Personal details

Born 2 February 1952 (age 68)

Daegu, South Korea

Political party Independent (2017–present)[1]

Other political Saenuri (until 2017)

affiliations

Parents Park Chung-hee

Yuk Young-soo

Residence Seoul

Alma mater Sogang University

Université Grenoble Alpes

Signature

Korean name

Hangul 박근혜
 Hanja 朴槿惠

Revised Romanization Bak Geun(-)hye

McCune–Reischauer Pak Kŭnhye

Park Geun-hye (Korean: 박근혜; Hanja: 朴槿惠; RR: Bak
Geun(-)hye; IPA: [pak‿k͈ɯn.hje]; often in English /ˈpɑːrk ˌɡʊn ˈheɪ/; born 2 February
1952) is a former South Korean politician who served as President of South Korea from
2013 to 2017. Park was the first woman to be President of South Korea[2] and also the
first female president popularly elected as head of state in East Asia. She was also the
first South Korean president to be born after the founding of First Republic of Korea; her
predecessors were born either during the Joseon dynasty, Japanese rule or during
the post-World War II American occupation. Her father, Park Chung-hee, was
the President of South Korea from 1963 to 1979, serving five consecutive terms after
he seized power in 1961.[2]
Before her presidency, Park was chairwoman of the conservative Grand National Party
(GNP, formerly called the Saenuri Party from February 2012 onwards now called
the Liberty Korea Party) from 2004 to 2006 and 2011 to 2012. She was also a member
of the National Assembly, serving four consecutive parliamentary terms between 1998
and 2012. She started her fifth term as a representative elected via national list in June
2012. In 2013 and 2014, Park ranked 11th on the Forbes list of the world's 100 most
powerful women and the most powerful woman in East Asia.[3] In 2014, she ranked 46th
on the Forbes list of the world's most powerful people, the third-highest South
Korean on the list, after Lee Kun-hee and Lee Jae-yong.
On 9 December 2016, the National Assembly impeached Park on charges related
to influence peddling by her top aide, Choi Soon-sil.[4] Then-Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-
ahn assumed her powers and duties as Acting President as a result. [5] The Constitutional
Court upheld the impeachment by a unanimous 8–0 ruling on 10 March 2017, thereby
removing Park from office.[6] On 6 April 2018, South Korean courts sentenced her to 24
years in prison which was later increased to 25 years. [7][8] Park is currently imprisoned
at Seoul Detention Center.[9] In 2018, two separate criminal cases resulted in an
increase of seven years in her prison sentence. She was found guilty of illegally taking
off-the-book funds from the National Intelligence Service and given a five year prison
sentence, and also found guilty of illegally interfering in the Saenuri Party primaries in
the 2016 South Korean legislative election, for which she was sentenced to two more
years in prison.[10]

Contents

 1Early life and education

 2Political career
 o 2.1Assemblywoman
o 2.2GNP chairwoman and "Queen of Elections"
o 2.32007 Presidential bid
o 2.42008 general election
o 2.5Head of Saenuri Party
o 2.62012 parliamentary election
o 2.72012 presidential campaign
o 2.8Positions
 3Presidency
o 3.1Inauguration
o 3.2First year (February 2013 – February 2014)
o 3.3Second year (February 2014 – February 2015)
o 3.4Third year (February 2015 – February 2016)
o 3.5Fourth and final year (February 2016 – March 2017)
o 3.6Approval ratings
 4Arrest and detention
o 4.1Trial
 5Controversies
o 5.1Parentage controversy
o 5.2Bu-il foundation accusations
o 5.3Party criticism
o 5.4Spokesman scandal
o 5.5Lack of communication
o 5.6November 2015 protests
o 5.7Censorship
o 5.8Public Official Election Act
o 5.9Choi Soon-sil scandal and impeachment
 6Honours
o 6.1Foreign honours
 7Electoral history
o 7.1National Assembly races (1998 to present)
o 7.2Presidential (2012)
 8Publications
o 8.1Books
o 8.2Articles
 9See also
 10References
 11Footnotes
 12External links

Early life and education[edit]

Park was born on 2 February 1952, in Samdeok-dong of Jung District, Daegu, as the
first child of Park Chung-hee, the third president of South Korea, who having come to
power with the May 16 military coup d'état of 1961, served from 1963 until his
assassination in 1979, and Yuk Young-soo. Both of her parents were assassinated. She
has a younger brother, Park Ji-man, and a younger sister, Park Geun-ryeong. [11] She is
unmarried with no children. Pew Research Center described her as an atheist with a
Buddhist and Roman Catholic upbringing.[12]
In 1953, Park's family moved to Seoul and she graduated from Seoul's Jangchung
Elementary School and Sungshim (literal: Sacred Heart) Girls' Middle and High School
in 1970, going on to receive a bachelor's degree in electronic engineering from Sogang
University in 1974.[13] She briefly studied at Joseph Fourier University, but left France
following the murder of her mother. [14]
Park's mother was killed on 15 August 1974 in the National Theater of Korea; Mun Se-
gwang, a Japanese-born ethnic Korean sympathizer of North Korea and member of
the Chongryon, was attempting to assassinate President Park Chung-hee. [15] Park was
regarded as First Lady until the assassination of her father by his own intelligence
chief, Kim Jae-gyu, on 26 October 1979.[16][17][18] During this time, activists who were
political opponents of her father claimed to be subject to arbitrary detention.
Further, human rights were considered subordinate to economic development.[19] In
2007, Park expressed regret at the treatment of activists during this period. [20]
Park received honorary doctoral degrees from the Chinese Culture
University in Taiwan in 1987, Pukyong National University and KAIST in 2008, Sogang
University in 2010, and TU Dresden in 2014.[21]

Political career[edit]
Assemblywoman[edit]
Park was elected a Grand National Party (GNP) assemblywoman for Dalseong County,
Daegu, in 1998 by-election, and three more times in the same electoral district between
1998 and 2008, being the incumbent assemblywoman till April 2012. In 2012, she
announced that she would not run for a constituency representative seat for the 19th
election in Dalseong or anywhere else, but for a proportional representative position for
the Saenuri Party instead, in order to lead the party's election campaign. [22] She was
elected as a proportional representative in the April 2012 election.[23][24]
GNP chairwoman and "Queen of Elections"[edit]
Due to the failed attempt to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun and the bribery scandal
of its 2002 presidential candidate, Lee Hoi-chang (revealed in 2004), the GNP was
facing a severe defeat in the 2004 general election. Park was appointed as the
chairwoman of the party and led the election efforts. In the election, the GNP lost its
majority position but managed to gain 121 seats, which is largely considered a great
achievement under such inhospitable circumstances for the party. [25][26] As the
chairwoman of the GNP, Park helped her party make significant gains in local elections
and actually obtain a majority in 2006.
During the campaign, on 20 May 2006, Ji Chung-ho, a 50-year-old man with eight
criminal convictions, slashed Park's face with a utility knife, causing an 11-centimeter
wound that required 60 stitches and several hours of surgery. [27][28] A famous anecdote
from this incident occurred when Park was hospitalized after the attack. The first word
that she said to her secretary after her recovery from her wound was "How is Daejeon?"
After this, the candidate from the Grand National Party won the election for mayor of the
city of Daejeon despite having trailed by more than 20 percentage points in opinion polls
up to the point of the attack. In addition, during her term as the GNP chairwoman
between 2004 and 2006, the party won all 40 reelections and by-elections held, which
was largely credited to her influence and efforts. This feat gave Park a nickname
"Queen of Elections".[29][30][31]
On 12 February 2007, Park made a much-publicized visit to Harvard
University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Her visit culminated in an
address to a packed audience at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, where
she said she wanted to save Korea and advocated a stronger relationship
between South Korea and the United States.[32][33]
2007 Presidential bid[edit]
Park hoped to emulate her father's success by becoming the presidential nominee of
the Grand National Party.[24] She eventually lost to Lee Myung-bak by a narrow margin.
Lee had a commanding lead at the beginning of the primary season, but Park was able
to narrow the gap through allegations of Lee's corruption. Park won the "party members'
bid", but she lost the "national bid", which is a larger percentage of the total presidential
bid.[citation needed]
2008 general election[edit]
After the 2007 presidential election, President Lee Myung-bak formed a government of
mostly close supporters.[34] Park's supporters argued that this was a kind of political
reprisal, and that they should secede from the Grand National Party. [35] Eventually, they
formed parties named Pro-Park Coalition and Solidarity for Pro-Park Independents (친
박 무소속 연대; Chin Park Musosok Yeondae). Park herself did not join them, but
indirectly supported them by announcing "I hope these people will come back alive."
After the mass secession, the rebels announced that they would rejoin GNP after the
general election, but the GNP prohibited it. In the following 2008 general election, the
rebels won 26 seats: 14 from the Pro-Park Coalition and 12 as independents. Together,
they played a pivotal role in the GNP's narrow majority. Park continually insisted that
GNP should allow the return of her supporters. As of 2011, most of these rebels had
returned to the GNP, resulting in approximately 50 to 60 assembly members who
support Park out of 171 in the GNP.[citation needed]
Head of Saenuri Party[edit]
As a response to the dwindling approval rating of the GNP, the party formed an
emergency committee and changed the name of the political party from the Grand
National Party to the Saenuri Party, meaning "New Frontier" Party.[22] On 19 December
2011, Park was appointed as the chairwoman of GNP's Emergency Committee, the de
facto leader of the party.[citation needed]
2012 parliamentary election[edit]
The Saenuri Party achieved a surprise win against the opposing Democratic United
Party in the 2012 General Election, winning 152 seats and retaining its majority position.
Because of the corruption scandals of the Lee administration revealed before the
election, the Saenuri Party was widely expected to win no more than 100 seats.
[36]
 During the 13-day campaign period, Park traveled about 7,200 km (4,500 mi) around
South Korea, visiting more than 100 constituencies. [37] It is the consensus of Korean
news media and political experts that the most important factor leading to Saenuri
Party's victory was Park's leadership. For this reason, the 2012 election was often
dubbed the "return of the Queen of Election". [36][38] Saenuri's defeat in the populous Seoul
metropolitan area in this election, however, revealed the limitation of Park's political
influence.[36]
2012 presidential campaign[edit]
Main article: 2012 South Korean presidential election
Park had been the leading candidate for the 2012 presidential election in every national-
level poll in South Korea between 2008, when the Lee Myung-bak administration began,
and September 2011, with an approval rating of 25% to 45%, more than twice that of
the second candidate. Park's approval rating was highest when the 2008 National
Assembly election showed her strong influence and lowest in early 2010 as a result of
her political stance against the Lee administration in Sejong City issue.[39] Park also
benefited from a public image of standing aloofly above the fray of politics. [40] In
September 2011, Ahn Cheol-soo, a former venture IT businessman and the Dean of
Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology at Seoul National University,
emerged as a strong independent candidate for the presidency. In national-level
presidential polls in September 2011, Ahn and Park Geun Hye closely competed for the
status of front-runner, with Park losing the top seat in some polls for the first time since
2008.[41]
After her victory in the 2012 General Election, Park's approval rating increased
significantly. In a national-level survey by Mono Research on 30 August [42] Park was the
top presidential candidate with an approval rating of 45.5% when competing with all
potential candidates, and according to another recent national survey result, had a
higher approval rating (50.6%) than Ahn (43.9%) in a two-way competition with him as
of 11 September.[43] On 10 July, Park formally announced her 2012 presidential bid at
the Time Square, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul. In this event she emphasized the right
to pursue happiness, a democratic economy, and customized welfare services for the
Korean people.[44]
The opposing Democratic Party elected Moon Jae-in as its presidential candidate on 17
September, while Ahn Cheol-soo announced his presidential bid on 19 September.
Although still a leading candidate, Park had a lower approval rating than both Ahn and
Moon when engaged in two-way competition, according to a 22 September national
survey.[45] She was elected as the President of the Republic of Korea on 19 December
2012 with the approval of 51.6% of Korean voters. [46]
In 2017, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) admitted that it had conducted an illicit
campaign to influence the 2012 presidential election, mobilising teams of experts in
psychological warfare to ensure that the conservative candidate, Park Geun-hye, beat
her liberal rival Moon Jae-in.[47]
Positions[edit]

Park (center) smiles and shows a portrait drawn by a girl in Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul, at Children's Day 5 May
2013

In a 2012 survey by Korean Research assessing the political stance of 12 potential

presidential candidates of South Korea, Park was considered the most conservative
candidate.[22][48] Her conservative, market-oriented political stance was well reflected in
her campaign pledge for 2008 presidential bid to cut taxes, reduce regulation, and
establish strong law and order.[49] Since 2009, however, Park started to focus more on
welfare issues, advocating customized welfare services to the South Korean people. [49]
Park was well known for her strict adherence to political promises. In 2010, for example,
she successfully stopped the Lee administration's attempt to cancel the plan to
establish Sejong City, a new national center of administration, arguing that the plan was
a promise made to the people. This conflict between Park and the Lee Administration
cost her a considerable decrease in her approval rating at the time. [50] In 2012, Park also
vowed to construct a new airport in the southeastern region, a 2008 presidential
campaign promise made by GNP but cancelled in 2011, despite claims of economic
infeasibility of the plan.[51]
The administrative vision of Park's new government was "a new era of hope and
happiness". The five Administrative Goals of the government were "a jobs-centered
creative economy", "tailored employment and welfare", "creativity-oriented education
and cultural enrichment", "a safe and united society" and "strong security measures for
sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula". The Park Geun-hye administration
planned to create a trustworthy, clean, and capable government through carrying out
these goals, related strategies, and tasks.[52]
Park chose not to vote in the 2017 South Korean presidential election.[53]

Presidency[edit]
Inauguration[edit]

President Park on inauguration day, 25 February 2013

Park became the 18th president of South Korea on 25 February 2013. At midnight, she
took over all presidential authorities including the prerogative of supreme command of
South Korea's armed forces from her predecessor Lee Myung-bak. In her inauguration
speech at the National Assembly building, Park spoke of her plan to open a new era of
hope through "economic prosperity, people's happiness, and cultural enrichment". She
particularly expressed her hope that North Korea would give up its nuclear arms and
walk on the path of peace and mutual development, and declared that the foundation for
a happy era of unification in which all Korean people will be able to enjoy prosperity and
freedom and realize their dreams would be built through the Korean Peninsula Trust-
building Process. In her inauguration speech, Park presented four guiding principles to
realize her administrative vision: economic prosperity, people's happiness, cultural
enrichment, and establishment of foundation for peaceful unification. [54] Park's
inauguration ceremony was the largest one in South Korean history with 70,000
participants. Diplomatic representatives in Korea as well as high-level delegates
specially sent from 24 countries around the world including Thai Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra, U.S. National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon, Taiwanese Legislative
Speaker Wang Jin-pyng and former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda also
participated in the event to congratulate Park. [55][56]
First year (February 2013 – February 2014)[edit]
Administrative philosophy[edit]
The goal of the newly launched Park Geun-hye Administration for governing state
affairs was to open "a new era of hope and happiness for all the people". Park avowed
that South Korea would break away from its long-pursued development model that
centered around the nation, and shift the focus of government administration from the
state to individual citizens. Through this process the structure of co-prosperity would be
created, in which citizens became happy and national development occurred as a
result. Park's administrative vision and basic principles for governing the nation were
concretely outlined in her policy plans for the economy, society, welfare, diplomacy, and
unification. The administration's keywords in managing state affairs were "people",
"happiness", "trust", "co-prosperity" and "principle". [57]
Government restructuring[edit]
Right after taking office, Park restructured the Blue House and government organization
to carry out her administrative vision. The Office of National Security at the Blue House,
Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
were newly launched, and the seat of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs was
revived. The Chief of the National Security Office would act as a "control tower" for
diplomatic, security, and national defense issues, and the Deputy Prime Minister for
Economic Affairs for economic, social, and welfare issues. [58]
Foreign policy[edit]
United States[edit]
Park Geun-hye at a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama on 7 May 2013

After taking office, Park met with John Kerry and U.S. President Barack Obama. Park's
trip to the United States in May 2013 was her first foreign trip after taking office. [59]
Like many of her predecessors, Park has maintained a close relationship with the U.S.,
which has over 20,000 soldiers stationed in South Korea. During her visit to the U.S.,
she addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress, where she called for a united front
against any North Korean provocations. Park also called for a strong global relationship
between South Korea and the United States.[60]
Park assesses the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and emphasized that
deterrence capabilities were the most important factor for security. Thus, Park considers
the American-South Korean alliance as the most successful one in the world. And she
hopes the American-South Korean relationship can be upgraded from a comprehensive
strategic alliance to a global partnership. [61]
Park visited the United States on her first overseas trip as president. She traveled to
Washington, D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles on 5–9 May 2013. [62]
During summit talks in May at the White House, Presidents Park and Obama adopted a
joint declaration for the American-South Korean alliance and discussed ways to further
develop the bilateral relations in a future-forward manner. Also, two leaders discussed
ways to promote cooperation in building peace in the Northeast Asian region and
strength the partnership between Seoul and Washington. [63]
The two leaders of South Korea and the United States agreed to adopt a joint statement
on comprehensive energy cooperation to build a foundation for a future growth engine
and establish a policy cooperation committee on information and communication
technology. In addition, Park urged her U.S. counterpart to expand the annual U.S. visa
quota for South Korean professionals in order to promote co-development of both
economies.[63]
In particular, the "Joint declaration in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the
Alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States of America" adopted by
South Korea and the United States will become a meaningful document looking back at
the past six decades of the alliance and spelling out a new direction for the development
of bilateral relations over the coming decade. [64]
North Korea[edit]
North Korea had engaged in provocations such as violating a UN Security Council
resolution and firing a long-range missile on 12 December 2012, just before 19
December presidential election. After Park was elected, North Korea conducted its third
nuclear test 12 February 2013, nullified the non-aggression agreements between the
two countries on 8 March and withdrew North Korean workers from the Kaesong
Industrial Complex on 8 April.[65] Park maintained her stance that South Korea will not
succumb to the North's provocations and threats, and will endeavor to elicit policy
coordination towards North Korea with major powers such as the United States, China
and the UN.[66] Her response to North Korean issues gained the support of many South
Koreans and also the United States, China, and Russia, and played a significant role in
the unanimous adoption by the UN Security Council of Resolution 2094 regarding North
Korea on 7 March 2013.[67] Due to Park's response and the international community's
actions, on 6 June North Korea ceased provocations and threats towards the South and
suggested holding discussions on reopening the Kaesong Industrial Complex. [68] Park
said that peace and unification on the Korean peninsula is the wish of all 70 million
Koreans and that as president she will do her utmost to meet such a goal. As well, "the
ultimate objective of reunification efforts is to improve the quality of life of people in both
Koreas, to further expand freedom and human rights, and [from there] build a
prosperous Korean Peninsula."[69] She later stated, "to open a new era of peace and
hope on the peninsula, North Korea needs to accept her administration's trust building
policy initiative".[70][71]
Park's policy vision and initiative on issues concerning North Korea and unification are
reflected in her Korean Peninsula Trust-building Process. The Ministry of Unification has
announced a new vision statement "realizing a new unified Korea that ensures
everyone's happiness". The administrative tasks for this cause include normalizing inter-
Korean relations through a trust-building process, embarking on small-scale unification
projects that will lead to a complete integration of the two Koreas, and taking practical
measures to prepare for unification by strengthening unification capabilities. [72] According
to Park, peaceful unification will be achieved in a three-stage unification initiative:
starting from securing peace, going through economic integration, and finally reaching
political integration. To achieve sustainable peace by the initiative, the new
administration will offer humanitarian assistance for the people in North Korea, inter-
Korean exchange and cooperation in economic, social and cultural areas, and will apply
'Vision Korea project' for establishing a single economic community in the Korean
Peninsula, conditioned on sufficient mutual trust and progress in denuclearizing North
Korea.[73]
China[edit]
Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Beijing, 27 June 2013

On 27–30 June 2013, Park visited China with a South Korean delegation, where she
met with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president. During the meetings, Park explained the
government's stance on North Korea and gained his support. [74]
Russia[edit]
On 13 November 2013, Park held an extended summit with President Vladimir Putin,
whose visit to South Korea was the first among leaders of 4 major powers including the
United States, China, and Japan. During the summit, Park and Putin had a
comprehensive and productive dialogue with focus on improving economic relations
such as logistics cooperation projects (through Russia and North Korea), expanding
people-to-people exchanges, and strengthening political ties between South Korea and
Russia. Park, especially, emphasized on making preparations to produce an outcome
that corresponds to common interests by combining Korea's Eurasian Initiative and
Russia's Asia-Pacific Policy. After the summit, both presidents issued a joint
communique and held a joint press conference.[75][76] Earlier, Park attended the G-20
Summit at St. Petersburg in September 2013, where she met Putin for a separate
dialogue discussing economic cooperation and seeking support on North Korean
issues. It marked the first Korea-Russia summit talk since Park's inauguration. [77] When
Park met with Russian Minister for the Development of Russian Far East Viktor Ishaev,
who headed the Russian delegation to Park's inaugural ceremony, she stated that
Russia is one of Korea's key strategic partners, and the successful launch of the Naro
rocket is the outcome of mutually beneficial relations and demonstrates that relations
will grow stronger in the future. She also noted that Russia's active participation in the
six-party talks will contribute to alleviating tension on the Korean Peninsula. [78]
Economic policy[edit]

Park delivering the keynote speech during an economic policy meeting on December 27 at the Sejong
Government Complex.
Park announced her plan to build a "Creative Economy" on 5 June 2013, representing
her vision for economic revival and job creation. [79] In April, Park said "Timing is very
important for our economic policy, jobs and livelihood mainly ordinary people should
organize a supplementary budget in a timely manner." [80] On 8 April 2014, Park signed
the Australia–Korea Free Trade Agreement with Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
[81]

Social policy[edit]

Park proposed the eradication of "Four Major Social Evils" (사 대회악: "sa dae hwe
ak") – sexual violence, domestic violence, school violence and unsafe food. Statistics
show that sexual violence and domestic violence are increasing in these years. Without
referring to statistical data, aggravating school violence or food safety is a public
concern in South Korea.[82][83] She also launched the National Unity Committee on 17
June with the purpose to advise the president in the process of resolving various
conflicts in South Korean society and establishing a culture of co-existence and co-
prosperity. Former Democratic United Party Advisor Han Kwang -ok was named as the
head.[84]
National[edit]
On 18 May 2013, Park attended the 33rd anniversary of the Gwangju massacre, and
expressed sorrow for the victims' family members. [85]
Second year (February 2014 – February 2015)[edit]

Park Geun-hye and U.S. President Barack Obama, 25 April 2014

Foreign policy[edit]
North Korea[edit]
Park proposed three steps to North Korea to help move toward the reunification of the
Korean Peninsula, on 28 March in Dresden during her state visit to Germany. [86] She
stated that "Starting with jointly managing rivers and forests running through the two
Koreas, we need to expand joint projects that benefit both sides. In that respect, I hope
North Korea will attend the UN Convention on Biological Diversity conference to be held
in South Korean city of Pyeongchang in October." [87] In May 2014, Park warned that a
new nuclear test by North Korea could lead to "a nuclear domino effect", that might
provide its neighbors with a pretext to arm themselves with nuclear weapons. [88]
Government restructuring[edit]
On 18 May 2014, Park announced South Korea's "plans to break up its coastguard"
after failing to respond well during the MV Sewol ferry disaster.[89] According to Park,
"investigation and information roles would be transferred to the South Korea National
Police while the rescue and salvage operation and ocean security roles would be
transferred to the Department for National Safety, not to be confused with the
Korean Ministry of Security and Public Administration, which will be newly established".
[90]
 On 19 November 2014, the Korea Coast Guard and National Emergency
Management Agency ceased control as the Ministry of Public Safety and Security was
founded at the same day.[91]
Third year (February 2015 – February 2016)[edit]
Foreign policy[edit]
Park meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 14th ASEAN-India Summit

China[edit]
On 26 May 2015, Park urged the head of the Asian Development Bank to cooperate
with South Korea and the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank[92] after South
Korea had officially applied to join the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank in late March 2015.[93]
Fourth and final year (February 2016 – March 2017)[edit]
Foreign policy[edit]
Iran[edit]

Park Geun-hye being welcomed by Iran's business minister, Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh in Mehrabad

Airport

On 1 May 2016, Park became the first South Korean president to visit Iran.[94][95] She was
at the head of a 236-member delegation of businessmen and entrepreneurs during a
three-day visit to Tehran to discuss bilateral trade and other matters of mutual interest.
[96]
 She met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and held talks with Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei.[97] The two countries also signed 19 basic agreements to expand mutual
cooperation over a variety of areas. [98] Earlier, Iran's President Rouhani emphasized that
Iran and South Korea are set to boost their trade volume from the current $6 billion to
$18 billion.
2016 general elections[edit]
Park suffered a serious setback in the 2016 general elections on 13 April 2016, as the
Saenuri Party lost both its majority and its status as first party in the National Assembly.
[99]
 Park had been criticized for her involvement in the elections and the party's
nomination process,[100][101] and other Saenuri members blamed the pro-Park faction in the
party for the defeat.[102] Park loyalists fared badly in constituency elections.[103] The result
was seen to hinder the chances of Park's passing her proposed economic reforms,
[104]
 and in the aftermath of the results the conservative The Chosun Ilbo stated that
Park's "lame duck period has started earlier than any other administration in the past". [105]