Park had been often criticized for being the "daughter of a dictator" (Park Chung-hee) and for not actively supporting the Lee administration by supporters of Lee Myung-bak. A national-level poll conducted in July 2012 by a conservative newspaper reported that 59% of participants responded they did not believe Park was a "daughter of a dictator" while 36% agreed with the characterization. Park Chung-Hee's status as a dictator became a contested topic after the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. GNP party elites saw this as their chance to revitalize Park Chung-Hee's image, focusing on South Korea's economic growth during his administration, thus steadily changing his public perception.