April 26, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Choi Soon-sil vehemently defended her embattled friend and nation‘s president, Park Geun-hye, and denied her alleged meddling in state affairs during Park’s impeachment trial on Jan. 16.
 
“President Park is not the person who would derive personal benefits or gives her family members, relatives or close friends personal favors,” she said, appearing at the Constitutional Court for the first time since the historic trial began two weeks ago. 

Choi Soon-sil at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Jan. 16, to attend the fifth hearing on the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye

“I am a civilian. The president has served in the public office for long. She has a firm philosophy in running state affairs. It is a complete distortion (that I meddled in state affairs.)”

During the fifth hearing of the trial, Choi admitted to having met President Park at the presidential office to help her with “private matters” without specifying how often she visited Park or what the matters were about. 

“I cannot tell you what the business was about because it is her privacy. She never asked me to do it. I (voluntarily) did it to help her.” 

Choi’s alleged manipulation of power using her ties to the president is one of the key reasons behind the parliament’s impeachment of Park on Dec. 9. Choi herself is standing trial on charges of abuse of power, fraud and coercion. 

Without a blink or qualm, she actively defended herself, asked for a five-minute break in the afternoon and even expressed irritation at some questions. She, at times, raised her voice, called claims by the parliament’s lawyers “a jump of logic” and refused to answer what she called “loaded questions.” 

Choi denied all allegations that she peddled influence over state affairs and key personnel appointments under the Park administration, set up and run dubious entities – Mir and K-Sports foundations – to use them to channel public funds for her private gains. 

“Park became alone, and I was alone, too. So I decided to rely on her and to protect her by her side. It is not that I was by her side to gain personal gains,” she said. “It is so unfair that I am seen as if I took a lead in running the state.” 

She denied the validity of her testimonies during the questioning by state prosecutors, taking issue with the prosecution’s “coercive” way of grilling her. “I am almost dying because the prosecution and an independent counsel are forcible investigating me.” 

Choi also dismissed all testimony given by her former associates -- Ko Young-tae and Cha Eun-taek -- during the prosecutorial questioning or the parliamentary inquiry as “fabricated,” saying they completely “framed” her. 

“I cannot answer any questions based on Ko’s testimonies, because what he said has no credibility,” she said. “His testimonies were completely fabricated.”

Ko Young-tae has offered testimonies implicating Choi in extorting money from conglomerates. He is set to be brought in to testify before the court on Jan. 17.
 
She also denied the validity of key pieces of evidence, including a tablet PC, purportedly owned by her and later obtained by a local cable TV channel, as well as recordings of her conversation with officials from the Mir and K-Sports foundations. 

“I don’t even know how evidence was obtained. The prosecution has never shown me the physical evidence.”  

The court is set to decide whether the presented evidence including the tablet PC and recordings will be considered as valid in the impeachment trial on Jan. 16.
 
As for what she knows about the president’s whereabouts and actions during the sinking of the Sewol ferry in 2014, she said, “I cannot even remember what I did yesterday. It was so long time ago.” 

The president’s seven-hour absence and alleged failure to save more people during the nation’s worst maritime disaster, which claimed more than 300 lives, is one of the charges listed in the impeachment motion. 

Choi’s appearance as a witness came amid continued absence of key witnesses involved in the corruption scandal -- including ex-presidential aides Jeong Ho-seong, An Bong-geun and Lee Jae-man. Choi finally made an appearance on Jan. 16 after the court vowed to forcibly summon witnesses if they fail to appear.
 
On Jan. 17, the court will put other key witnesses on the stand, including former Culture Minister Yoo Jin-ryong, who allegedly stepped down under pressure from the presidential office, and Choi’s former aide Ko to be questioned over Park’s allege abuse of power. 

The National Assembly impeached Park on Dec. 9 over allegations that she allowed Choi to meddle in state affairs and colluded with her to extort money and favors from local conglomerates, among other charges. 

President Park and key suspects all deny their charges and even question the validity and legitimacy of major pieces of evidence, in what critics see as a tactic to prolong the court proceedings at the Constitutional Court. 

The top court has until early June to decide whether to uphold or overturn Park’s impeachment. 

By Ock Hyun-ju/The Korea Herald (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)