Heard North and South Korea are at war now.

[Lala81]

Wow. I dunno how she can be allowed to remain president after this...

 

 

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/south-korean-president-struggles-to-contain-scandal/3245600.html

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/female-rasputin-at-eye-of-s-korean-political-scandal-5-things-to/3245652.html

 

 

SEOUL: Pressure mounted on South Korean President Park Geun-Hye on Saturday (Oct 29) ahead of a large-scale protest over revelations that she allowed a personal friend, with no government position, to meddle in affairs of state.

The scandal involving Park's long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil has rocked her presidency, thanks largely to a lurid back-story involving talk of religious cults, shamanist rituals and corruption.

Thousands of people were expected to turn out for a mass, candle-lit rally later Saturday in central Seoul to call on Park, whose popularity ratings have plunged to record lows, to step down.

Choi is being investigated for using her ties to Park to coerce money out of major conglomerates, but the real shock was revelations that Park had allowed Choi to vet her presidential speeches and apparently advise her on crucial policy choices.

Park has publicly apologised and late Friday she told 10 of her senior advisers to tender their resignations ahead of a reshuffle of her presidential office.

Choi, 60, is the daughter a shadowy religious figure, Choi-Tae-Min, who headed a cult-like religious group and was a long-time mentor to Park up until his death in 1994.

Media reports have portrayed Choi Soon-Sil as a Rasputin-like figure with an inappropriate and unhealthy influence over Park that she inherited from her father.

Choi left the country for Germany in early September as reports of her alleged influence-peddling began to emerge.

An early banner displayed at the venue for Saturday's rally read "Choi come back, Park get out".

Choi's lawyer said she was well aware of the "gravity" of the situation and was "willing to return home to be questioned and punished if she did anything wrong".

Prosecutors have taken in two of Choi's close aides for questioning, including one who told reporters that Choi had been behaving as Park's de facto regent.

- AFP

 

 

 

SEOUL: South Korean President Park Geun-Hye is facing calls to resign over allegations she allowed a close personal friend to meddle in state affairs.

The woman at the heart of the scandal is an elusive figure with no government post or security clearance but a reportedly Rasputin-like grip on the president's trust and affections.

Here are five key questions about an ongoing and sometimes bizarre scandal that has gripped the country and severely undermined Park's public stature and ability to govern.

WHO IS CHOI SOON-SIL?

Choi, 60, is daughter of the late Choi Tae-Min, a shadowy religious figure who married six times, had multiple pseudonyms and set up a cult-like group known as the Church of Eternal Life.

Choi Tae-Min befriended a traumatised Park after the 1974 assassination of her mother, who he said had appeared in his dreams asking for his help.

Choi became a key mentor for the young Park, a role that angered a number of key aides to her father, the country's then military ruler Park Chung-Hee.

Park was assassinated in 1979 by his intelligence chief who cited Park's failure to step between Choi and his daughter as one reason for his actions.

Park Geun-Hye also formed a close bond with Choi's daughter Choi Soon-Sil that endured after Choi's death in 1994. The latter's ex-husband served as a top aide for Park until her presidential victory in 2012.

WHAT IS CHOI ACCUSED OF?

Choi is officially being investigated for using her ties with Park to coerce companies like Samsung to make large donations to two non-profit foundations she set up - allegedly for her personal benefit.

But the more damaging side to the scandal is that Choi, who has never held any official position, seemingly exerted enormous influence over the president's political policy-making.

Files obtained from Choi's personal computer by broadcaster JTBC TV suggest Choi edited some of Park's key speeches and received confidential documents, including files related to ties with Japan and North Korea.

Some reports have suggested Choi had her own coterie of aides who advised the president on appointments, policy issues and even on her wardrobe.

WHY SO MUCH PUBLIC ANGER?

The scandal has seen Park's approval ratings plummet to record lows, even after she made a public apology for "causing concern to the people".

It has played into long-standing criticism of Park's aloof decision-making process and her perceived tendency to ignore expert advice and surround herself with loyalists. And the quasi-religious mystique surrounding Choi has been especially troubling.

Lawmakers, including some in Park's own party, have voiced concern that the president is under the spell of a "religious cult", with Choi acting as some sort of shaman after taking on her father's mantle as a Rasputin-like advisor.

The head of the main opposition Minjoo Party said it was like discovering you were being ruled by a "terrifying theocracy".

There was also widespread anger over accusations that Choi's daughter had received preferential treatment as a student at one of the country's top universities.

IS PARK'S PRESIDENCY UNDER THREAT?

Park, who has just over a year left in office, has apologised but vowed to stay put.

For the moment, the main opposition party has pushed for a special probe but stopped short of calling for Park's impeachment, perhaps, analysts suggest, for fear of triggering a backlash.

But the scandal has severely undermined Park's ability to govern effectively at a time of slowing economic growth, rising unemployment and tensions with North Korea.

A recent poll showed 70 per cent of voters wanted the president to resign or be impeached.

WHAT DOES CHOI SAY?

Choi is currently holed up in Germany, having left South Korea in early September as the first reports of her influence-peddling emerged.

In a newspaper interview, Choi denied any wrongdoing, saying she had only helped Park "out of good faith".

Choi's lawyer says she is well aware of the "gravity" of the situation and is willing to return home to be questioned and punished "if she did anything wrong".

- AFP

 

[Thaiyotakamli]

Mr Ban will replace her

[SGCMmadman]

Ya.. ban ki moon has the expertise to handle politics. South will hv a very experienced president/politician n north has ah pui... no need to say more.

Edited October 29, 2016 by SGCMmadman

[Nlatio]

I see the documentary about the boat sinking in SK I shake head..... the coast guard risk their life and limp and try their best to save as many as possible.... it was an impossible task..... and what happen.... the char bor Breasident disband the whole unit citing incompetency or somehting as she was under pressure from the public and she sacrifice the whole team??? Farking unbelievable...    

 

Think if Ah Bui launch an attack, she first one take plane fly to US... 

Edited October 29, 2016 by Nlatio

[Lala81]

This article makes it more easy to understand what's going on with the scandal and only includes juicy (ie WTF) titbits from Korean news. 

From my friend.

 

http://askakorean.blogspot.sg/2016/10/the-irrational-downfall-of-park-geun-hye.html?m=1

Edited November 3, 2016 by Lala81

[Beregond]

ok .

 

for 1 secs i thought missiles firing at each other already .

[Albeniz]

While the cult controls the Korean government, I have this strange belief that US is controlled by a group of aliens from outer space who is trying to manipulate the whole world.  

[Kusje]

This article makes it more easy to understand what's going on with the scandal and only includes juicy (ie WTF) titbits from Korean news. 

From my friend.

 

http://askakorean.blogspot.sg/2016/10/the-irrational-downfall-of-park-geun-hye.html?m=1

 

Won't have a chance to read this for now but I find it funny that they have a presidential scandal but the PM is the one that is changed.

 

Change the president la.

[Lala81]

While the cult controls the Korean government, I have this strange belief that US is controlled by a group of aliens from outer space who is trying to manipulate the whole world.  

 

why not just eat us or suck our planet dry ?   

[Kusje]

why not just eat us or suck our planet dry ?   

 

Ever seen an ant farm? 

[Lala81]

Ever seen an ant farm? 

 

7 billion juicy people, still can tahan their hunger pangs ar?

 

Must wait until 10 billion, then slurp slurp 

[Wishcumstrue]

While the cult controls the Korean government, I have this strange belief that US is controlled by a group of aliens from outer space who is trying to manipulate the whole world.  

 

Kim Jong-un might have the last laugh looking at the latest presidential-level scandal in S Korea.

 

Imagine our PM or top some senior gov minsters being influenced by religious mega cult leaders like Kong Hee.

 

Then your CPF, DBS account, career path, promotion, ST opinon, PM Lee FB chats...all influence by a cult figure..

 

Sometimes, the truth can be stranger than fiction or conspiracy theories.

 

[Wishcumstrue]

South Korea's Park says 'hard to forgive myself' for political crisis

 

SEOUL: South Korean President Park Geun-hye said in a tearful apology on Friday (Nov 4) that her "heart was breaking" over a political scandal that has engulfed her administration and said she will cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation.

Park has been rocked by an influence peddling scandal involving an old friend, sending her approval rating to an all-time low of just 5 per cent, a 12 percentage point drop from last week, according to a Gallup poll released on Friday.

In a brief televised address to journalists, Park said that prosecutors should clarify what happened and that everyone involved should be held accountable, including herself, and take responsibility if found guilty.

"It is hard to forgive myself and sleep at night with feelings of sorrow," Park, 64, said, her voice trembling.