April 20, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Former presidential aide Woo Byung-woo flatly denied his involvement in the corruption scandal tied to President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon-sil during a parliamentary inquiry on Dec.22 on the case that led to Park’s impeachment.

Woo, Park’s senior secretary for civil affairs from January 2015 to October 2016, claimed that he had never met Choi, the president’s longtime friend accused of meddling in state affairs.

“Even at this moment, I don’t know of Choi Soon-sil. I only saw her in the news reports,” said Woo during the fifth parliamentary hearing on the scandal that took place at the National Assembly in Seoul. Lawmakers suspect that it was Choi who handpicked Woo for the post of senior secretary for civil affairs, which includes making sure there is no corruption among officials. 

Former senior presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo (left) and former presidential nurse officer Cho Yeo-ok (right) attend a parliamentary hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul on on Dec.22. The Korea Herald/ Park Hae-mook

“I understand that we are here to get to the bottom of the truth. Therefore, I am only telling you exactly what happened,” Woo said, denying any allegations of wrongdoing.

His stance was consistent with the defiance he has shown since the scandal erupted last October. Woo had denied his involvement with Choi at a prosecutorial probe and refused to testify until he accepted the call last week.

The former presidential aide, who oversaw inspection of government agencies such as the prosecution, also denied the allegation that he had attempted to block an investigation into the Mir Foundation and K-Sports Foundation. They are accused of colluding with Choi to extort donations from large businesses.

When questioned about whether he had instructed his staff members to deny the allegation and create falsified documents in defense, Woo, 49, said, “I never made such a document. I never gave my staff such instructions.”

Woo also denied the accusation that he had prevented the prosecutors from probing into the rumors that Choi’s former husband Jeong Yun-hoe meddled in state affairs behind the scenes in 2014. Jeong had worked as Park’s top aide when she was a lawmaker in 2006.

He has been considered to be the most powerful presidential aide. Known as the protege of former presidential Chief of Staff Kim Ki-choon, Woo was said to have wielded significant influence over Cheong Wa Dae staff and senior prosecutors.

But since the Choi Soon-sil scandal erupted, his repeated rejection of calls for him to be investigated have painted him in a bad light.

Even during the hearing on Dec.22, Woo was chastised by lawmakers for failing to respond to the questions in a polite manner. Before the hearing, Woo was also seen talking to investigators with his arms folded.

“I was taking a break then and I didn’t feel very well during the investigation,” said Woo, refuting accusations that investigators were intimidated by Woo and offered him unusual hospitality during the probe.

By Yeo Jun-suk/The Korea Herald (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)