PRESIDENT PARK AND POSUN YUN SPEAKING TO CROWDS.




Initials JSU/VS/JF/PC



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Background: PRESIDENT CHUNG-HEE PARK RECENTLY STARTED HIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ON 3 MAY WITH A PLEDGE TO WORK HARDER TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY FOR SOUTH KOREA. HE SAID THAT IF RE-ELECTED FOR A SECOND FOUR-YEAR TERM, HE WOULD ASK THE COUNTRY "TO BRING ABOUT NATIONAL ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE".

PRESIDENT PARK'S CHIEF RIVAL CANDIDATE, FORMER PRESIDENT POSUN YUN, RUNNING ON THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY TICKET, HAS REPEATEDLY ACCUSED THE PRESENT DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN PARTY ADMINISTRATION OF CORRUPTION. HE CLAIMS THAT THE POOR HAVE BECOME POORER AND THE RICH RICHER DURING PRESIDENT PARK'S ADMINISTRATION.

THE BRITISH-EDUCATED MR. YUN, WHO WAS DEFEATED BY A NARROW MARGIN IN THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT IN 1960 FOLLOWING THE STUDENT UPRISING THAT OVERTHREW THE LATE PRESIDENT SYUNGMAN RHEE. HE RESIGNED AFTER THE MILITARY COUP IN WHICH PRESIDENT PARK, A RETIRED ARMY GENERAL, SEIZED POWER.