Aides to Korean ‘Rasputin’ testify to her hold on Park
Influence extended from his wardrobe to key recruitments
SEOUL // Friends and associates of the woman at the heart of a corruption scandal engulfing South Korean president Park Geun-hye told a hearing yesterday that her influence extended to everything from Ms Park’s wardrobe to senior appointments. Ms Park has been accused of letting long- time confidante Choi Soon-sil meddle in a wide range of state affairs, and of ordering aides to leak confidential documents to Ms Choi, who has no official title or security clearance.
The president is also suspected of colluding with her confidante in strong-arming major conglomerates into donating funds to two dubious foundations that Ms Choi controlled.
A parliamentary hearing on the scandal has summoned the country’s most powerful business tycoons and Ms Choi’s close associates, including a prominent K-pop video director and a fashion designer. Cha Eun-taek, who once made videos for “Gangnam Style” star Psy, said Ms Choi had once asked him to recommend potential candidates for culture minister and for a presidential adviser on culture. The names he put forward to Ms Choi, including one of his uncles, ended up getting the jobs. “So I thought ‘ What kind of person could possibly do something like this?’,” Mr Cha told legislators, describing Ms Choi’s ties with Ms Park as “extremely close”.
Ms Choi, whose influence over the president has led to her being called “Korea’s Rasputin”, has refused to testify to the investigative panel despite warnings from legislators that she could be jailed for contempt.
Another member of her inner circle, Koh Young- tae, whose relationship with Ms Choi has been the subject of media gossip, testified to the power she appeared to wield over senior administration officials.
The young designer particularly noted her treatment of Kim Chong, a former vice sports minister who is now under arrest on charges of awarding contracts to Ms Choi and trying to help her meddle in preparations for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
“Choi constantly gave orders to Kim as if he was her personal assistant,” Mr Koh said. He also suggested Ms Choi had controlled the president’s wardrobe choices, saying he provided Ms Choi with about 100 items of clothing and up to 40 bags that he saw Ms Park wearing in public for years.
At the start of yesterday’s hear- ing, the chairman of the parliamentary panel issued orders compelling Ms Choi and members of her family to appear or face possible jail for contempt.
Ms Choi was slated to answer questions yesterday but refused the summons, citing health reasons and the need to prepare for her pending trial.
But Ms Choi’s niece, seen as her close aide, made an appearance and was grilled for allegedly using her aunt’s power to squeeze money from Samsung, a claim she denied.