The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Hotels grapple with chronic staff shortages

  • 3

    INTERVIEWMeet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul

  • 5

    Photo of Samsung chief's playful pose goes viral

  • 7

    CJ Olive Young fined 1.89 bil. won for unfair supply contracts

  • 9

    SK reshuffles top management focusing on generational shift

  • 11

    INTERVIEW'Now is time for Koreans to unlock potential in Africa'

  • 13

    Pro-Palestine protests in Seoul concern Israeli ambassador

  • 15

    Lawyer of Korean descent selected as chair of Dentons Global Board

  • 17

    LGES, KAIST enable EVs to go 900 km on single charge

  • 19

    Yoon vows to expand support for arms industry

  • 2

    'Moon gov't neglected, concealed North's killing of S. Korean official'

  • 4

    Giant panda statue at Everland

  • 6

    Padres' Kim Ha-seong files blackmail complaint against Korean player

  • 8

    K-dramas, beauty, food to maintain popularity on TikTok in 2024

  • 10

    NYT picks President Yoon, NewJeans among 71 'most stylish' people of 2023

  • 12

    'Soundtrack #2' tells classic yet realistic love story

  • 14

    Major hospitals struggle to recruit pediatricians

  • 16

    Samsung to unveil AI-powered lifestyle vision at CES 2024

  • 18

    China's Xi warns top EU officials not to engage in 'confrontation'

  • 20

    Auction house Phillips appoints new regional director of Korea

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, December 9, 2023 | 01:09
President's 7-hour Sewol absence faces probe
Posted : 2016-11-15 16:49
Updated : 2016-11-15 22:10
Kim Bo-eun
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Kim Bo-eun

A yet to be appointed independent counsel will look into the whereabouts of President Park Geun-hye on the day of the Sewol ferry disaster, officials from the ruling and opposition parties said Tuesday.

The plan to investigate allegations that Park was unaccounted for during the critical period comes after the ruling Saenuri Party and the two biggest opposition parties agreed to appoint an independent counsel to investigate a corruption scandal involving President Park and her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil.

It is to be seen whether the investigation into "Park's seven missing hours," which Cheong Wa Dae has failed to clarify and led to numerous suspicions, will uncover the truth.

Although the President's whereabouts for the seven hours on April 16, 2014 appears to be unrelated to the scandal, the counsel will be able to look into the matter because the bill for the appointment states he or she can investigate all issues related to the Choi scandal.

The bill grants the counsel power to investigate 14 issues. One of them is the suspicion that Cheong Wa Dae granted favors to the head of a cosmetic surgery clinic frequented by Choi and her daughter: the doctor was appointed as an outpatient doctor to Seoul National University Hospital and also joined the President on an overseas trip to promote medical tourism.

One of the latest suspicions over the President's seven-hour absence is that she was undergoing a cosmetic procedure by the doctor, although Cheong Wa Dae and the doctor denied the allegations.

President's '7 missing hours' still shrouded in mystery
President's '7 missing hours' still shrouded in mystery
2016-11-22 16:58  |  National
'Truth does not sink' [VIDEO]
'Truth does not sink' [VIDEO]
2016-11-21 16:20  |  National
Anti-Park figures may become independent counsel
Anti-Park figures may become independent counsel
2016-11-15 16:22  |  National
Park's fierce political enemy backed for top probe job
Park's fierce political enemy backed for top probe job
2016-11-15 17:43  |  National
The counsel's questioning is also expected to focus on the role Park played in getting "donations" from conglomerates to set up the Mir and K-Sports foundations, which Choi controlled.

In July last year, Park had a luncheon with 17 heads of companies, at which she requested their assistance in establishing the foundations. It was later found that Park had private meetings with the leaders of seven conglomerates following the luncheon, more explicitly seeking funds for the foundations.

Prosecutors suspect Park sought funds from the companies in return for favors such as exerting influence on prosecution investigations into their irregularities and freeing their jailed leaders. If the allegation is true, she will be subject to bribery charges.

More recently, it was found that Park had one-on-one meetings again in February with the chiefs of five conglomerates ― SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo, LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo and Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin. Park is believed to have sought additional funding for the foundations during the meetings.

The prosecution summoned Lotte Group's Shin for questioning Tuesday.

The foundations were set up under the pretext of globally promoting Korean sports and culture, but they are suspected of having been used to funnel funds to paper companies set up by Choi in Germany, so they could be used for personal purposes such as training her daughter Chung Yoo-ra, who is a dressage competitor.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Tuesday it will question a doctor at anti-aging clinic Chaum, who is suspected of having prescribed the President's medications to Choi and her older sister Soon-deuk.

According to the Gangnam Public Health Center, which conducted an inspection, the medical records of the Choi sisters had terms entered referring to Park such as "VIP" and "Cheong" 19 times from 2011 to 2014.

The Health Ministry plans to have the Gangnam Public Health Center file a complaint against the doctor surnamed Kim, who is alleged to have violated the Medical Law by falsely writing up medical records.


Emailbkim@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
LG group
Top 10 Stories
1Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism
2[INTERVIEW] Ex-NIS chief urges politicians to stop misusing spy agency INTERVIEWEx-NIS chief urges politicians to stop misusing spy agency
3Seoul-Moscow ties likely stuck in limbo amid blame game Seoul-Moscow ties likely stuck in limbo amid blame game
4Why Korean shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce sitesWhy Korean shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce sites
5Will Korea avoid hard landing in housing market? Will Korea avoid hard landing in housing market?
6‘12.12: The Day’ goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation‘12.12: The Day’ goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation
7Seoul awards honorary citizenship to outstanding foreign residentsSeoul awards honorary citizenship to outstanding foreign residents
8Hyundai Motor hires former US Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim as adviser Hyundai Motor hires former US Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim as adviser
9K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades
10Hanwha signs $2.4 bil. deal to export infantry fighting vehicles to Australia Hanwha signs $2.4 bil. deal to export infantry fighting vehicles to Australia
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[REVIEW] Musical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love REVIEWMusical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love
2‘12.12: The Day’ goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation‘12.12: The Day’ goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation
3K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades
4[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul INTERVIEWMeet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul
5'Soundtrack #2' tells classic yet realistic love story 'Soundtrack #2' tells classic yet realistic love story
DARKROOM
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  • 2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

    2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

  • Appreciation of autumn colors

    Appreciation of autumn colors

  • Our children deserve better

    Our children deserve better

  • Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

    Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel: 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844
Date of registration: 2020.02.05
Masthead: The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group