Parliament Question Korean Government Officials on Choi Soon-sil Scandals

(Seoul Nov 11, 2016 11:00)

Only opposition party members applied to question Korean government officials on current government matters. The ruling party refused to ask questions.

Only two channels are broadcasting this event. Some of the questions asked are summarized below;

Democratic Party Member Chung Dong-yong asked about how this scandal could have gone on without the present Prime Minister's knowledge. The Prime Minister used to be the Minister of Justice who is in charge of investigations into government corruption. The Prime Minister denied any knowledge. Mr. Chung pointed out that out of all 18 ministers in the government, none had one on one talks with the President about what they were doing and their opinions. He asked any of the 18 Ministers present to raise their hands if they reported to the President directly. None went up.
Mr. Chung said if the President doesn't step down, he will ask everyone to start impeachment proceedings.

Democratic Party Member Ahn Song-gil raised questions about the Chung Yun-ae scandal in 2014. Chung Yun-ae was Choi Soon-sil's husband at the time, now divorced. The head of the President's office on corruption reported that there was influence peddling and corruption involving the President's immediate circle. The present Prime Minister was the Minister of Justice. The person who reported the crime was indicted, the policeman who assisted the investigation was fired, the Attorney General was forced to resign and other things. He asked Minister of Justice how come the investigation into the Korea Parents Association is still going on, since April, while opposition members are being railroad and fast tracked in their investigations?  Minister replied they are doing their best. The Parents Association is a group of old people in their 60s and 70s who appear at over 100 demonstrations a year. These people don't know the names of politicians or the causes they are protesting against. The same Korean Federation of Industries that is being implicated in the Choi Soon-sil scandals is also accused of funding this group with the Blue House (president Park) giving directions.

Democratic Party Member Park Yong-sun asked about the forced resignation of Korean Airlines Chairman Cho Yang-ho as the Chairman of the Pyeongchan Winter Olympics. He reportedly refused to give a construction contract to front companies of Choi Soon-sil. Choi Soon-sil also received a lot of favors in contracts and appointments to posts in the Ministry of Culture and the Minister of Culture was asked about that also.

There are many posts in the cabinet, justice department, intelligence agencies, government organizations and other appointments where friends and acquaintances of Choi Soon-sil's abused their powers. Ms. Park asked the attorney general about investigations into these allegations. The attorney general promised fair and thorough investigations.

Citizen's Party Member Shin Yong-hyun asked about corruption involved with Choi Soon-sil's daughter who went to school on average for a month a year and still graduated and managed to get into the best women's university in Korea on a newly created special spot for Horse Riding. The professors gave her good grades for not attending classes and submitting substandard homework, not mention taking any tests.

There about more opposition members scheduled to ask questions, but you can get an idea of how long and how extensive this influence peddling, cash grabbing and intimidation has gone on. Ever since the beginning of Park's presidency. That's going to be very hard to hide, even if they do manage to destroy almost all of the evidence, this has been going on for so long, that it is impossible to hide the all of the circumstantial evidence. Everyone is saying President Park ordered them to do it or gave constant suggestions or directions. There are recordings on a burner phone, there are notebooks with notes, and probably other material. Evidence is scant, but testimonies from victims of all this corruption are coming forward and speaking out.

People are asking why do all of the president's assistants carry burner phones and why were two Presidential secretaries assigned to Choi Soon-sil? They stopped the broadcast of the parliament for the 12 O'clock News.

Police always give a very low estimate of the crowds at anti-government demonstrations. The protest organizers always give a conservative estimate of the crowds. It is usually more than that considering most people do not stay for the whole 5-8 hours.

Been to football games and know what 100,000 people look like. If the area in front of Seoul City Hall is full of people, that is probably more people than in a full U of Michigan football stadium. So that is a lot of people asking President Park to leave peacefully, but she keeps refusing. There will be more people this weekend. People also demonstrate every day.

The big demonstration is planned for this Saturday. Gonna be there!!! First time ever in a protest.

If she doesn't step down after this weekend, she's gonna be responsible for all the ensuing violence and chaos. She won't step down or stop lying.

Bob Marley - Stop That Train

Complete Background On Korea President Park's Scandals

The best summary that I have read. Brought to you by Interactive Fictions,
http://interactivefictions.com/primer-on-latest-president-park-scandal-news/

Second Coming Of Jesus

In a spiritual sense?


Jesus most probably said "be true". Why?


He knew about congitive dissonance, tendency for lying to grow in a feedback loop (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/liar-liar-how-the-brain-adapts-to-telling-tall-tales/), and other things.


How did he know? He probably also wondered how he knew all this stuff and came to the conclusion something or someone told him.


There are many crazy people out there. You probably noticed. Now you know why.

End of the Park Administration?

While Korean prosecutors debated about the legalities of obtaining search warrants for Madam Soon-sil Choi's properties and businesses, alleged confidant of President Park, the media took it upon themselves to dig through the "trash" and came up with a computer that belonged to Madam Choi's daughter Yu-ra Choi, alleged beneficary of favors in entering Ewha University and getting a B while not attending classes and submitting substandard homework. (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2016/10/180_216712.html)


The computer's hard drive confirmed that Madam Choi's bragging about correcting presidential speeches as true. There were copies of presidential speeches that were received by email before the speeches were given.


While the prosecutors debated, two of the main consipirators fled Korea to Germany and China, and the others have gone into hiding. (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2016/10/116_216705.html)


There is also gathering evidence that implicates Madam Choi as being behind the formation of 2 sports foundations and gathering of "donations" from major corporations. It appears that Madam Choi had set up companies to embezzle these funds. It is rumored that these donations were for President Park's life after office, a claim which she indirectly denied yesterday by saying she had no desire to live a flamboyant lifestyle. 


Even the members of her own ruling party are calling for an investigation. It seems that she has made enemies of even her own allies along the way.


Read all about it. It will come out in the news in the coming hours. Even the media has turned on her now.

3 Channels

I am watching the leader of another opposition party, Ji-won Park, give his speech to the legislature. It is being broadcast on 3 channels.

He pointed out that the federal government spends 80% of the budget while the provinces and cities only receives 20% of the budget. This is causing local governments to go into debt and creating serious problems. He also pointed out things wrong with pension, social welfare and economy.

He also said that we need to make peace with North Korea and unify, among other things.

Democracy?

Yesterday, the ruling party leader gave his opening speech to the legislature. It was broadcast on at least 6 major TV channels.

Today, I am listening to the leading opposition party leader's speech to the legislature. It is being broadcasted on one TV channel.

Ruling party dude, blamed others, especially the opposition parties and labor unions, for the bad economy.

Opposition leader gal, Mi-hae Chu, blamed the government's economic policy placing priority on exports, support to big business conglomerates and real estate booms. She said you can't use old solutions to modern problems. She said that businesses should stop receiving reduced corporate tax rates introduced by the ruling party many years ago to revive the economy. She also said that the OCED recommended that Korea revise its tax system and labor policies. First time, I heard that. Korean news never mentioned it to my knowledge.

I think, tomorrow, we get to hear the other leading opposition party leader give his speech.

No matter how good the opposition parties, as long as the the rich control the press, bribe judges and prosectors (even to give out harder punishment to people), evade taxes and other things without impunity, it is hard to win. It is a coin toss, these days, which is good, I guess.

Paid Demonstrators?

The Korean Parent Association is a conservative right wing organization that frequently protests vehemently at demonstrations. It has recently been revealed that they received over $400,000 from the Federartion of Korean Industries and instructions from Blue House staff (Korea's White House).

FKI gave money to a right-wing civic group in return for organizing pro-government and pro-business rallies.

Sisa Press said a Blue House official asked the Korea Parent Federation to host the rallies.


What about all those other right wing groups holding rallies and demonstrations?