Who is the 'spirit medium' manipulating Korean politics?

South Koreans are angry because a “spiritual medium” was suddenly discovered to have read state secrets and “advised” President Park Geun-hye on policy. Who is this person?

Protesters wearing masks of South Korean President Park Geun Hye (right) and her "close friend" Choi Soon Sil during a large protest on October 29 in Seoul - Photo: AFP

According to Reuters, the “unique” political scandal has caused a wave of protests by tens of thousands of people across South Korea on October 29. They demanded the immediate resignation of President Park Geun Hye. The approval rating for the South Korean leader is at a record low - just 14% - even after Ms. Park publicly apologized and forced 10 senior advisers to resign.

“Korean version of Rasputin”

It all started with a “earth-shattering” discovery: a “commoner” woman named Choi Soon Sil, 60 years old, whom Ms. Park called an “old friend”, was allowed to access top secret documents about the president’s policies and change them.

With no power but daring to interfere in the country’s affairs, Choi Soon Sil’s personal history is also very complicated. She is the daughter of Choi Tae Min, a shady figure involved in cults and has many aliases. He has been married six times and founded a religion called “The Church of Eternal Life”.

Choi Tae Min befriended Ms Park, who had been severely depressed after her father was assassinated in 1974 (President Park Chung Hee survived, but his wife was killed), by fabricating a story about her mother appearing in a dream to ask for help. This information appeared in a report by the Korean Intelligence Agency in the 1970s.

Mr Choi, a former police officer who became a Buddhist monk and converted to Roman Catholicism, became a key adviser to Ms Park as a young woman, angering many close to Ms Park’s family.

President Park Chung Hee was assassinated a second time in October 1979 by his own intelligence chief, who claimed that Park had failed to dissuade his daughter from trusting Choi Tae Min. Park Geun Hye also developed a close relationship with Choi's daughter, Choi Soon Sil, who also suffered from grief after her father's death in 1994.

Also because of his background and influence on President Park Geun Hye, a leaked US diplomatic cable described Mr. Choi Tae Min - Choi Soon Sil's father - as "the Korean version of Rasputin".

South Koreans took to the streets in Seoul demanding President Park Geun Hye's resignation. The girl held a sign with a picture of Ms. Park and Choi SoonSil (left corner) - Photo: AFP

Power shaken

South Korean prosecutors are investigating two non-profit organizations headed by Choi Soon-sil, who they suspect of using their ties to the president to blackmail big companies like Samsung out of more than $70 million.

The investigation began earlier this October. Choi Soon Sil is wanted by authorities on suspicion of using the funds raised for personal purposes, including horse riding lessons for her daughter Chung Yoo Ra.

In fact, the initial outburst of public anger in Korea was also related to this daughter Chung Yoo Ra.

Chung, an equestrian, was accepted into South Korea’s prestigious women’s university, Ewha University. The president of Ewha was forced to resign this week after students protested the preferential treatment given to Chung Yoo Ra and the “ambiguous” admission of her.

From this clue, the Korean media began to investigate the relationship between Ms. Park and Ms. Choi. Their findings were indeed beyond expectations.

It is unclear how much influence the Choi family has over President Park Geun Hye and how much they benefit from it. But there is no doubt that Ms. Park’s remaining time in office is quite fragile.

In Seoul on October 29, at least 10,000 people took to the streets to protest, shouting slogans such as “Park Geun Hye, resign now”; “Is this a country?”; “We cannot raise our children in this country”…

For her part, President Park has not mentioned the issue again since her 90-second apology, accompanied by a bow to the camera, aired on television earlier this week. In addition to firing her senior advisers, Park’s spokesman did not rule out the possibility that her ministers would also leave.

Meanwhile, South Korea's three largest political parties announced they will meet with the National Assembly speaker early next week to discuss next steps.

“Opposition parties share responsibility for national affairs. As the government is going through a leadership crisis, the National Assembly must act to resolve it,” ruling party leader Chung Jin Suk told the Korea Joongang Daily.

According to TTO