Choi Soon-sil Gate Continues to Rock South Korea
In recent weeks, a scandal between South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her long-time friend, Choi Soon-sil, has paralyzed the South Korean government. On October 24, Korean news channel JTBC reported that Choi, a civilian with no post in the government and no security clearance, has been privy to the inner workings of the Park administration. Choi is reported to have reviewed and revised some of the president’s most important policy speeches, been briefed on a daily basis on the president’s meetings, and decided the president’s wardrobe on sevearl occasions.
President Park’s relationship with Choi dates back decades to when Park’s father, President Park Chung-hee, was in power. Choi’s father, Choi Tae-min, a religious figure often compared to Rasputin in his endeavors, assisted Park after her mother’s assassination in 1974. A 2007 cable from the U.S. Embassy in Seoul released by WikiLeaks reads, “Rumors are rife that the late pastor had complete control over Park’s body and soul during her formative years and that his children accumulated enormous wealth as a result.” Choi, who seems to have now assumed her father’s role, has maintained a relationship with Park ever since.
Choi is charged with allegations of illegally drawing money from two foundations she established. These foundations collected about $70 million through the Federation of Korean Industries from large conglomerates, including Samsung and Hyundai. Opposition leaders stress that such large investments from corporations, some of which are heavily in debt, suggest pressure from President Park. Prosecutors raided Choi’s home in connection to these accusations.
There are also allegations that Choi’s daughter was given special preference in her admission into Ewha Womans University, one of South Korea’s most prominent universities. Numerous reports reveal that Choi’s daughter’s grades did not meet Ewha’s standards and that admission rules were altered to favor applicants like her that had equestrian awards.
The most dramatic allegations of the scandal, however, involve another character, Ko Young-tae, who volunteered for questioning in the prosecutor’s office. Ko worked at host bars in Seoul, where older women are served by male hosts, often in exchange for sexual services. Ko and Choi are believed to have met at a host bar around 2006, from which point they assumed an intimate relationship despite a 20-year age gap. With Choi’s financial and other forms of assistance, Ko launched a fashion brand, which soon enjoyed instant success after President Park carried his handbag in 2013. Ko is also suspected of overseeing The Blue K and Widec Sports, two paper companies Choi established to manage funds from her aforementioned foundations.
On October 25, Park made an apology in a nationally televised address, admitting that Choi advised her on speeches for her presidential campaign in 2012 and that she shared “certain documents” for Choi’s opinion during the presidency. This is a shift from her earlier statements, in which she criticized rumors regarding Choi as “slander” that “disrupt[s] the national order.” Cable station JTBC’s discovery of transcripts found in Choi’s old computer most likely caused this shift.
Members of the legislature, including a prominent member of President Park’s party, are calling for her resignation and even impeachment, and recent polls show record low approval ratings of 17 percent.
Prominent members of all three major parties have called for the establishment of a national unity government, or a coalition government comprised of all major parties in the legislature.
The scandal is viewed by many as the inevitable demise of a president too stubborn and aloof, even to her top aides. The aptly named “Choi Soon-sil gate” continues to reveal the level of dissatisfaction among the population and Park’s weakening hold on power as the political environment grows ever more unstable.