Park's relationship with Choi dates back 40 years

By Jun Ji-hye

Choi Soon-sil attends a medal ceremony for winners of dressage events at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games at Dream Park, Sept. 20, 2014. Her daughter Chung Yoo-ra, then 18, was a member of the South Korean dressage team that won the gold medal in the team event. / Courtesy of SisaIN

President Park Geun-hye has maintained a close relationship with Choi Soon-sil, her scandal-ridden 60-year-old confidant, for the past 40 years.

Choi, who is four years younger than Park, is now the center of controversy after the revelation that she reviewed Park's speeches ahead of their delivery dates and had access to classified material related to national security, which critics argue violates the law governing the security of confidential presidential records.

Choi, the daughter of the President's late mentor, Choi Tae-min, first met Park when she was in her early 20s and apparently has played the roles of companion as well as personal secretary. She apparently used the relationship ― because of Park's power and influence ― to extend her business and social activities.

Observers say it seems Park and Choi have been closer than real sisters.

In the mid-1970s ― when Park was acting as first lady to fill in for her late mother who was assassinated in 1974 ― late Choi introduced his daughter, Soon-sil, to Park.

He selected Park as an honorary president of a social organization he set up to "save the nation." Choi developed the organization by enrolling students from middle and high schools and universities nationwide as well as people from the religious and financial sectors. In 1979, Choi made his daughter, who was at the time studying at Dankook University, president of the organization's university students.

When President Park Geun-hye acted as first lady in the 1970s following the assassination of her mother, her mentor Choi Tae-min, a pastor and reportedly the founder of a religious cult, always accompanied her to social and political events. / Choi is father of Choi Soon-sil. / Korea Times file

The organization mainly provided "moral education" to people and ran volunteer activities, but it also had commercial interests, receiving a large amount of "donations" from conglomerates including Hyundai Group.

This seems very similar to the fund-raising method used to establish the Mir and K-Sports foundations in October of 2015 and in January this year, respectively. The two foundations, which are allegedly controlled by Choi Soon-sil, received nearly 80 billion won ($71.8 million) from conglomerates. Why the foundations were established is not yet clear, but the opposition parties claimed that they were apparently intended to be the home base for Park's post-retirement activities.

Park and Choi reportedly became very close friends after the former lived in seclusion after her father, President Park Chung-hee, was assassinated by his own intelligence chief in 1979.

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In the 1980s, Choi actively participated in activities and business related to Park. One example was opening a kindergarten in Gangnam, affiliated with the Yookyoung Foundation, a scholarship foundation for children started in 1969 by Park's mother.

Choi also reportedly accompanied Park on her media interviews as well as dinners with high-ranking officials from broadcasting companies.

President Park Geun-hye, then acting as first lady, waves to the crowd during a political event at Hanyang University in June 1979. Beside her is Choi Soon-sil, who was a graduate student at the time. / Yonhap

After Park was elected a lawmaker in 1998, Choi also reportedly accompanied her on overseas trips, although she had never been named as an official aide.

In 2006, when Park, who was at the time an opposition leader, became the victim of an unexpected assault in which a man slashed her face with a box cutter during an election campaign rally, Choi reportedly came in and out of Park's hospital and house frequently and did things Park needed.

After Park became an influential politician, Choi apparently kept a low profile until now.

Choi's ex-husband, Chung Yoon-hoi, was also a confidant to Park, serving as chief of staff when Park was a lawmaker. He reportedly grew apart from Park after the couple divorced.

Before their divorce, the couple reportedly introduced three aides to Park, who are still working for the President at Cheong Wa Dae.

On Tuesday, President Park admitted that Choi had edited her speeches in the early years of her presidency, apologizing for public concern raised by the controversy.

Her acknowledgement came one day after JTBC, a local cable channel, revealed data secured from Choi's tablet computer.

JTBC additionally revealed that Choi had access to classified material related to national security, foreign affairs and economic policies, adding that there was circumstantial evidence showing that Choi might have also intervened in the appointment of government personnel.

The prosecution said investigators are now analyzing the computer, which JTBC secured first and then handed over to the prosecution.