South Korea: From friendship to political scandal

(Baonghean) - Late on October 31, Ms. Choi Soon-Sil, a longtime friend of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, was urgently detained in connection with allegations of interfering in state affairs. This is a political scandal that is directly threatening Ms. Park's position as South Korean president.

Close relationship

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye is facing demands to reveal her 40-year friendship with Choi Soon-Sil. Choi Soon-Sil is accused of having undue influence over the South Korean central government and reaping personal benefits from her close relationship with South Korea's first female president.

Protesters in South Korea wear masks impersonating President Park Geun-hye and her close friend Choi Soon-sil. Photo: Guardian.

The complex allegations surrounding the relationship between President Park and her “backstage” allies have strongly influenced South Korean politics. The allegations allege that Ms. Choi, the daughter of a religious sect leader, edited Ms. Park’s speeches, had access to confidential documents, directed key economic policies, as well as defense and foreign affairs.

In addition, Ms. Choi is being investigated for using Ms. Park's connections to attract $70 million in funds from corporations, including Samsung and Hyundai, for two non-profit foundations she established.

She has denied embezzling any money for personal use. Choi is also accused of securing her daughter a place at a prestigious university by altering admission criteria – a charge that has sparked outrage in South Korea, where students face fierce competition to get into top universities.

Choi Soon-Sil became friends with President Park in the late 1970s, when Park Geun-Hye was grieving over the assassination of her father, President Park Chung-Hee, who came to power in a military coup in 1961 and was credited with transforming South Korea into an industrialized nation. Choi Soon-Sil and Park became closer after Park's father's death in 1994, four years before Park Geun-Hye was elected to the National Assembly.

Public reaction

President Park's approval rating has fallen to a low of 17% - the lowest in her four years in office. Thousands of protesters last weekend accused her of betraying public trust and overall mismanagement. A poll showed 70% of voters want Park to resign or be impeached.

However, few observers believe the crisis will lead to the president’s resignation, with less than a year left in her term at the Blue House. Opposition parties have demanded an investigation but have stopped short of impeaching Ms. Park.

On Tuesday, Park issued a brief public apology, but stressed that Choi's influence did not extend beyond vetting her speeches shortly after entering the Blue House in 2013. The South Korean president also sought to calm public opinion by asking 10 of his senior secretaries to resign and promising a cabinet reshuffle.

However, opposition parties also do not want to plunge the country into political turmoil with a prolonged impeachment trial. According to Victor Cha, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Ms. Park will not give up.

Image of protesters in South Korea demanding the country's president resign. Photo: Bloomberg.

Ignoring calls from opposition parties to step down, Park may consider leaving the Saenuri Party, especially as the party seeks to distance itself from Park’s influence in the 2017 presidential election year. South Korea’s largest newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, said the scandal marked a complete collapse of the president’s ability to govern. Conservative newspapers called for the appointment of an acting prime minister and the end of her role in running the country.

Developments for Ms. Choi

Files obtained from Choi's personal computer by JTBC TV show that Choi edited some of Park's speeches and received classified documents, including those related to Japan and North Korea. In an interview with South Korean newspaper Segye Iibo last week, Choi confirmed receiving drafts of Park's speeches, but denied influencing government policy or receiving financial benefits.

After weeks in Germany, 60-year-old Choi returned to South Korea on Sunday, where she apologized and said she had committed an "unforgivable crime."

Choi was questioned on Monday by prosecutors investigating whether she and Park's top aides broke the law. But she was immediately detained by prosecutors concerned that Choi might destroy evidence. "Choi has fled abroad in the past and has no permanent address in South Korea," a prosecutor said.

Prosecutors will have 48 hours to decide whether to formally arrest Choi Soon-Sil.

Phan Vu