By Kang Seung-woo
Choi Soon-sil, the scandal-ridden confidant of President Park Geun-hye, often briefed the President about the Mir and K-Sports foundations, according to a fresh news report, Monday.
This adds weight to the speculation that Park was behind Choi in establishing the dubious foundations and coercing donations from conglomerates.
Choi effectively controls the two foundations, which raised about 80 billion won ($71.2 million) from the nation’s major firms in just a few months, raising questions as to whether the money would be used for her post-retirement activities.
Park denied any alleged link to the foundations in a meeting with her senior secretaries, Oct. 20.
According to the Donga Ilbo, Monday, Ko Young-tae, Choi’s close friend and reportedly her lover, told the prosecution that Choi took care of the Mir and K-Sports foundations and frequently reported to Park about their operations.
He was summoned by the prosecution Thursday and questioned for three days.
“Ko discussed Choi’s visits to Park with prosecutors,” the newspaper said, citing a source.
The report added that Choi collected information about the two foundations’ future plans from their secretaries general and her aides working there before briefing the President, according to Ko.
Ko is suspected of being involved in the management of The Blue K and Widec Sports ― paper companies Choi set up in Korea and Germany allegedly to funnel money away from the foundations.
To confirm his statements, the prosecution attempted to raid Cheong Wa Dae over the weekend to secure documents from relevant presidential aides, but the presidential office refused their entry, citing no precedent. Instead, it handed over some documents to the prosecution team.
“The report has confirmed that President Park is behind the two foundations,” said Youn Kwan-suk, a spokesman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).
“It does not make sense that the President in charge of state affairs did not know what was happening at the two foundations.”
Bae Jong-chan, the chief director of political pollster Research and Research, also said, “So far, the foundations had been regarded as having no link to President Park, but it would no longer be a scandal only about Choi if the report is true.”
Since the allegations came to light two months ago, critics charge that the two were intended to be the home base for Park’s post-retirement activities.
In addition, before the establishment, Park asked local conglomerates to invest in the foundations during a meeting with businessmen in February and July of last year in order to promote public interest through cultural, arts and sports programs.
“It is a realistic assumption because she may need the funds to maintain her influence over the political circle,” said Chung Goon-gi, a professor at Hongik University.
In the wake of the scandal surrounding Choi, there are mounting calls for the President to be investigated ― a tall order for the prosecution.
“Prosecutors need to take immediate action by arresting relevant figures and even investigating the President. Otherwise, it will not be easy to assuage growing public anger toward the government,” said Bae.
According to a Gallup Korea poll Friday, Park’s approval rating was at 17 percent ― the lowest since she took office in February 2013.
Chung added, “The prosecution will not just sit idly by due to public sentiment, so it will wait for the appropriate timing to question her.”