Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Sohn Hye-won pledges to donate lacquerware collection
Rep. Sohn Hye-won speaks during a press conference held in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, Wednesday. The former ruling Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker pledged to donate her collection of lacquerware to the local government as part of a move to “prove” her innocence amid growing suspicions over her central role in speculative property investments in the city. / Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
Rep. Sohn Hye-won pledged to donate her entire collection of traditional lacquerware to the local government as part of a move to prove her innocence amid growing suspicions of her central role in speculative property investments in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province.
The announcement came as the opposition parties are stepping up their political attacks regarding her involvement in the investments by her aides and relatives
The former Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmaker held a press conference in Mokpo and said “I will donate a collection of lacquerware made between the 17th and 21st centuries, which I collected to open a museum, to Mokpo City or South Jeolla Province. The conference was held in a closed factory, the venue for the planned museum.
“How can I benefit from this land when I am giving away a collection worth more than 10 billion won if I sell it now?”
Her remarks came as the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) is calling for a thorough investigation into the allegations, while taking issue with her relationship with first lady Kim Jung-sook. The LKP has been raising speculation that Sohn, a friend of Kim, has been exploiting this friendship for her own personal gain.
She has come under fire over allegations she got her relatives and aides to buy properties in an old district of Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, using insider information gleaned from her participation on the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, before authorities designated it a cultural asset site.
Sohn, a key campaigner for Moon Jae-in in the 2017 presidential race, quit the DPK suddenly Sunday as the political attacks from the opposition bloc intensified.