My father was criticized as a dictator, but that should not overshadow his accomplishments in restructuring the country. He brought Korea out of 5,000 years of poverty. What he left unaccomplished was democratization of the system. – Park Geun-hye
I will keep the promise I made to you to open a new era on the Korean peninsula, based on strong security and trust-based diplomacy. – Park Geun-hye
National partition is a sorrow that touches all Koreans, but for me it is brought to the fore by unimaginable personal suffering. – Park Geun-hye
I will revive the legend of the economic miracle, making the country a place where people have no worry about living and young people merrily go to work. – Park Geun-hye
Various channels of dialogue must be kept open to build trust. I will meet North Korea’s leader if it is needed to develop relations between the two Koreas. – Park Geun-hye
I have no child to inherit my properties. You, the people, are my only family, and to make you happy is the reason I do politics. – Park Geun-hye
I know more than anyone the divergent views about my father. I want to be judged on my own merits. – Park Geun-hye
We need fundamental change. In the past, national development led to people’s happiness but now the link between national growth and improvement in people’s lives has been severed. – Park Geun-hye
My father’s biggest achievement was to motivate the South Korean people, to show them we could become prosperous if we worked hard. He taught me to love my country, and serve my country. – Park Geun-hye
We should change the current economic system dominated by big business groups to a one where small and medium-sized enterprises develop together. – Park Geun-hye
I couldn’t stand back and watch the strong economy that my father envisioned go to ruins. – Park Geun-hye
I believe that it is an unchanging value of democracy that ends cannot justify the means in politics. – Park Geun-hye
I understand that the end does not justify the means. And this should be a lasting value for democracy. – Park Geun-hye
I will try to work for greater reconciliation, cooperation and peace in North East Asia based on correct perception of history. – Park Geun-hye
South Korea’s economy is still difficult. I will create a country where nobody worries about putting food on the table. – Park Geun-hye
I will never forget the will of the people who believed in me wherever I went during the election campaign. – Park Geun-hye
Big businesses aren’t the only ones in the economic ecosystem. Nobody should fall behind because of an unfair structure. – Park Geun-hye
All facts prove that the Saenuri Party is a group of traitors who stoop to any infamy to realize its ambition to seize power. – Park Geun-hye
