Choi Soon-sil

This is a Korean name; the family name is Choi.
Choi Soon-sil
Born (1956-06-23) 23 June 1956
South Korea
Spouse(s) Chung Yoon-hoi (1995-2014; divorced)
Children Chung Yoo-ra (daughter)
Korean name
Hangul 최순실
Hanja 崔順實
Revised Romanization Choe Sunsil
McCune–Reischauer Ch'oe Sunsil
Birth name
Hangul 최필녀
Hanja 崔畢女
Revised Romanization Choe Pillyeo
McCune–Reischauer Ch'oe P'illyŏ
Legal name
Hangul 최서원
Revised Romanization Choe Seowon
McCune–Reischauer Ch'oe Sŏwŏn

Choi Soon-sil (born June 23, 1956) is the prime person of interest in a 2016 South Korean political scandal involving her influence over 18th President of South Korea Park Geun-hye.[1][2][3][4][5]

Personal life

Choi is the daughter of a South Korean Shamanistic cult leader, Choi Tae-min.[6] Her ex-husband is President Park's former chief of staff Chung Yoon-hoi and dressage athlete Chung Yoo-ra is her ex-husband's daughter.[7][8]

2016 South Korean political scandal

The scandal involves allegations that she was responsible for masterminding governmental policy and decision making during Park's administration.[9][10][11][12][13][14] Prosecutors have raided offices and homes linked to Choi.[15][16] Park's secretaries have been ordered to resign following the scandal.[17] She may have ordered Korean prosecutors to indict a Japanese journalist, Tatsuya Kato (Seoul Bureau chief of Sankei Shimbun), for defamation for reporting that President Park and Chung Yoon-hoi, had a secret seven-hour meeting with Choi after the sinking of MV Sewol.[18]

As of October 30, Choi Soon-sil has returned to South Korea and is facing prosecution.[19] On October 31, she met with prosecutors, telling reporters “Please, forgive me. I’m sorry. I committed a sin that deserves death”.[20]

As of November 20, Choi Soon-sil was officially charged by the prosecutors for intervening with state affairs and forcing chaebols to donate tens of millions of dollars to foundations and businesses she had control over.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "A Presidential Friendship Has Many South Koreans Crying Foul". New York Times. October 27, 2016.
  2. ↑ "A Rasputinesque mystery woman and a cultish religion could take down South Korea's president". Quartz. October 28, 2016.
  3. ↑ "'It's actually a system where Choi Sun-sil tells the President what to do'". The Hankyoreh. October 26, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Investigations into 'Choi Soon-sil gate' widening". The Korea Times. October 23, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Key suspects still at large in Choi Sun-sil probe". JoongAng Ilbo. October 25, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Swirling Scandal Involving Shamanistic Cult Threatens S. Korean President". Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  7. ↑ Kim, Oi-hyun (December 3, 2014). "Pres. Park's former aide and his wife may be at the center of ongoing scandal". The Hankyoreh. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  8. ↑ Park, Sojung (September 20, 2014). "S. Korea wins gold in team dressage equestrian at Asiad". Yonhap. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  9. ↑ "Presidential speeches found on confidante's PC: report". The Korea Herald. October 25, 2016.
  10. ↑ "South Korea's presidency 'on the brink of collapse' as scandal grows". Washington Post. October 29, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Can Pres. Park be investigated over Choi Sun-sil scandal?". The Hankyoreh. October 28, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Troubling revelations about Seoul's 'Shadow President': The Korea Herald columnist". The Straits Times. October 27, 2016.
  13. ↑ "'Choi-gate' scandal snowballing". JoongAng Ilbo. October 22, 2016.
  14. ↑ "South Korea's leader acknowledges ties to woman in scandal". Washington Post. October 25, 2016.
  15. ↑ "South Korea's president accused of leaking classified documents". Channel NewsAsia. October 26, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Long hide-and-seek game begins for Choi Soon-sil". The Korea Times. October 27, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Park orders secretaries to resign over 'Choi Soon-sil scandal'". The Korea Times. October 28, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Korean Prosecutors Indict Japanese Journalist on Defamation Charge", The Wall Street Journal
  19. ↑ "Choi Soon-sil returns; Blue House 'raid' by voluntary submission continues". Korea Herald. 2016-10-30.
  20. ↑ Time, Oct. 31, 2016
  21. ↑ AP, Nov. 20, 2016
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/4/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.