'Did I commit anything wrong?' says President Park

Allegations have it that President Park Geun-hye recently told her aide recently, "Did I commit anything wrong?" / Korea Times file

Psychiatrist suspects Park suffers from Ripley's Syndrome

By Park Si-soo

Is President Park Geun-hye in too much shock? Or is she so naïve and simple-minded that she has not yet realized the seriousness of the situation?

According to news reports, the scandal-plagued head of state recently met one of her close aides at the presidential office. The aide reportedly told the President, "It would be wise for you to step down in phases. That would be the best way to keep your honor untarnished. If you take a back seat and vanish from the public eye, people's indignation would be eased."

President Park's was dumbfounded: "Did I commit anything wrong?"

This conversation was first made public on Monday by Rep. Min Byeong-doo of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, who said he secured the information from his intelligence source.

"Park seems to be self-hypnotized to the level where she is unable to think and analyze the situation normally," Min said. "Some believe there are advisers who calculate and analyze the situation to drive the situation favorable to the President. But I don't agree with that. I think she (the President) firmly believes from the bottom of her mind that she did nothing wrong and makes decisions on related issues on her own."

The lawmaker's comments indicated that Park, not her lawyer or secretaries, was behind a series of controversial remarks or decisions that have fueled public outrage against the President.

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The prosecution on Sunday identified Park as an "accomplice" and "criminal suspect" while indicting her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil on charges including extortion and abuse of official power. The presidential office immediately lambasted the prosecution, calling its decision a "house of cards" built without objective evidence and vowing that the President will not cooperate with the prosecution's investigation of the scandal.

"The prosecution's announcement was completely untrue," said Jung Youn-kok, Park's spokesman.

Park also has made it clear that she will not step down. Instead, she seems to be supporting the idea that the Prime Minister recommended by opposition parties takes a dominant role in state management while she takes a back seat during her remaining time in office, responsible for a limited range of issues, such as diplomacy and national defense.

A well-known psychologist recently said Park's mental age seems to be stuck between 17 and 18, citing a lack of hard times in her formative years, which he said would have stunted her mental growth.

Park moved to the presidential house with her father, who took power in a 1961 military coup, when she was 11. And she enjoyed a princess-like lifestyle there until 1979, when she was 27.

Hwang Sang-min, former psychology professor at Seoul's Yonsei University, said Park's allegedly unsettled mentality has led the 64-year-old to have an excessive attachment to longtime confidant Choi.

Psychiatrist Seo Chun-seok suspects the President is suffering from Ripley's Syndrome.

This refers to a psychological condition where patients build a delusional fantasy based on self-made lies, and usually they are people who failed to achieve their desires/dreams in reality.

"I can't tell for sure that she (Park) is suffering from this," Seo said. "But the symptoms of Ripley's Syndrome patients and Park's attitude are similar in many aspects."

The presidential office said Park's reported comment was not true.

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