Park sworn in for new term

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33110, 28 December 1972, Page 9

Park sworn in for new term

(XZP.A.-Reuter —Copyright, SEOUL, December 27.

The President of South Korea (General Park) was sworn in for a new six-year term today with greatly extended powers to brace his nation for tougher internal rule and a broader dialogue with North Korea.

The inauguration oft General Park, aged 55. who I has ruled the country’ for lb years, came after the formal! promulgation of a new con-1 stitution which gives him: powers unparalleled in Wes-[ tern democracies.

It was the culmination of! a 71-day drama which began! when the President declared! mart’al law. dissolved the Na-! tional Assembly and banned all political activities.

The ban on political acti-l vities was lifted with the pro-| mulgation of the new con-| stitution today. The ruling Democratic Republican Party issued a statement to hail his inauguration as the beginning of a “sacred pilgrimage to lay a foundation for prosperity and peace-! ful unification of the father-! land.” but there was no sign! of life in the headquarters of! the Opposition, the New' Democratic Party.

In all, 1303 prisoners were released and 5018 others had their prison terms reduced in a general amnesty to mark the inauguration. General Park, who seized I power in 1961 and had con-; tinued in office as the elected President, was to leave the! presidency at the end of hisi third and last four-year term: in 1957 under the old consti-; tution. Now. under the new con-i stitution General Park may) stay in power for the rest of his life. I The President took his oath; in the Changchung Gymnas-! ium. where he was unani-' rnously elected last Saturday, by the National Conference 1 for Unification, a new!

• supreme constitutional body. I which will also act on uniification policies and approve the appointment by the Pre(sident of a third of the members of the National Assembly. to be convened in March, • but with its functions I limited.