Who is the "fortune teller" manipulating South Korean politics?

South Koreans are outraged after a figure known as a "fortune teller" was suddenly discovered to have read classified national documents and advised President Park Geun-hye on policy. Who is this person?

Protesters wear 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 unprecedented political scandal triggered protests by tens of thousands of people across South Korea on October 29. They demanded President Park Geun Hye's immediate resignation. The South Korean leader's approval rating is at a record low – just 14% – even after Park publicly apologized and forced 10 senior advisors to resign.

"The Korean version of Rasputin"

It all started with a shocking discovery: a 60-year-old woman from the "common class" named Choi Soon Sil, whom President Park called an "old friend," was allowed access to top-secret documents about presidential policy and was able to alter them.

Despite lacking official power, Choi Soon Sil dared to interfere in state affairs, and her background was extremely complex. She was the daughter of Choi Tae Min, a shadowy figure connected to a cult and using many aliases. He had married six times and founded a religion called the "Church of Eternal Life."

Choi Tae Min befriended Mrs. Park, who had suffered from severe depression after the assassination of her father in 1974 (President Park Chung Hee did not die, but his wife was killed), by fabricating a story about her mother appearing in her dreams to ask for help. This information emerged from a South Korean intelligence report in the 1970s.

Choi, a former police officer, later converted from Buddhism to Roman Catholicism. He subsequently became a key advisor to Park when she was young – a fact that angered many close to her family.

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

Because of his background and influence over President Park Geun Hye, a leaked US diplomatic cable described Choi Tae Min—the father of Choi Soon Sil—as "the Korean version of Rasputin."

South Koreans took to the streets in Seoul demanding President Park Geun Hye's resignation. The sign held by the woman shows a picture of Park and Choi Soon-sil (left) - Photo: AFP

Power is shaking.

South Korean prosecutors are investigating two non-profit organizations headed by Choi Soon-sil. They suspect these organizations used their relationship with the president to extort more than $70 million from large corporations such as Samsung.

This investigation began in early October. Choi Soon Sil is being sought by authorities on suspicion of using donated funds for personal purposes, including paying for her daughter Chung Yoo Ra's horseback riding lessons.

In fact, the initial public outrage in South Korea also stemmed from its connection with this daughter, Chung Yoo Ra.

Chung Yoo Ra, an equestrian athlete, was accepted into Ewha University, a prestigious women's university in South Korea. The president of Ewha was forced to resign this week after students protested the preferential treatment given to Chung Yoo Ra and alleged irregularities in her admission to the university.

Based on this clue, the South Korean media began investigating the relationship between Ms. Park and Ms. Choi. Their findings truly exceeded expectations.

It is unclear how much influence the Choi family has over President Park Geun Hye and how much they have benefited from it. But one thing is undeniable: Park's remaining time in office is quite precarious.

In Seoul on October 29th, at least 10,000 people took to the streets to protest, chanting slogans such as "Park Geun Hye, resign immediately"; "Is this even a country?"; "We cannot raise our children in this country"...

For her part, President Park has not addressed the issue again since the 90-second video of her apology, accompanied by a bow, aired on television earlier this week. In addition to dismissing senior advisors, a spokesperson for President Park did not rule out the possibility that ministers would also leave.

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

“The opposition parties share responsibility for national affairs. Because the government is experiencing a leadership crisis, the National Assembly must act to resolve it,” ruling party leader Chung Jin Suk said in an interview with the Korea Joongang Daily.

According to TTO