Another Possible Bribery Case Against President Park

About every five years, I think, the Korean Customs Office reviews and awards the licenses for duty free shops in Seoul. After the duty free licenses were awarded to five companies this year, the government announced that it would award more licenses and were accepting applications. The five companies that were previously awarded licenses strongly complained about the added competition considering most of the new duty free shops were operation at a loss.

Prosecutors have found it suspicious that President Park met with the Chairmen of Lotte and SKT, both of which had lost duty free licenses this year. Lotte won a license for their main shop in the center of Seoul, but lost the license for their other shop at Lotte World. SKT had lost the license for their shop at Walker Hill Hotel.

A few weeks after the meeting, the government announced that more duty free licenses would be issued. Choi Soon-sil and Presidential Secretaries called on Lotte and SKT and requested that several million dollars in donations be made to two sports foundations controlled by Choi Soon-sil through board members appointed by her.

SKT said that they could not donate any more money. Lotte donated 7 billion won, but had it returned the day before a search warrant was carried out at Lotte.

The prosecutors just carried out additional search warrants at Lotte, SKT, Korean Customs Office and the Ministry of Planning and Budget in order to find evidence of influence peddling and the more serious charge of bribery against President Park.

Yesterday, prosecutors found evidence that ex-Senior Secretary for Civil (domestic) Affairs, Woo Byung-woo had received reports on ex-Presidential Secretary Ahn Jong-bom regarding influence peddling and coercion, but ignored them. They are looking into other allegations and many expect that Woo Byung-woo will be arrested soon.


Korea Herald: Prosecution trying to prove Park’s bribery charges

Ruling Party Approval Drops To 12%, President 4%

The Saenuri Party's approval rating has drop by more than half from 35% to 12% and members have finally started to call for President Park's impeachment despite strong opposition from pro-Park members.

At present count, Saenuri Party assemblymen say that over 40 will vote to impeach President Park along with opposition parties which will enable the impeachment measure to pass the assembly. The measure is expected to be voted on in early December.

Over 1.5 million demonstrators in Seoul and 500,000 in other cities are expected to brave freezing temperatures and rain in nationwide protests this Saturday.

Chosun Ilbo: Lawmakers to Vote on Impeaching Park 

The Hankyoreh: President Park May Refuse To Accept Resignations

President Park Approves Independent Counsel To Investigate Her

The National Assembly passed a bill authorizing the formation of an independent counsel to investigate the Choi Soon-sil scandal, what President Park was doing on the day of the Sewol Ferry tragedy and other scandals involving the President.

President Park signed the bill into effect and plans to send it back to the Assembly by this afternoon.

Yonhap News: Park signs bill for independent probe 

Two Rappers Sentenced To Prison For Marijuana In Seoul

More drugs arrests were reported as usual. A two year prison sentence for one rapper
and six months for another because they used marijuana.

People usually get probation, what happened? They probably didn't reveal their source. Anyway, they got suspended sentences, so they don't go to jail.

The one that got a six month suspended sentence was busted for smoking in Thailand in 2015. He must have tested positive in a drug test in Korea and said that he had smoked it in Thailand.

Yonhap News: S. Korean rappers get jail terms for marijuana charges 

Under South Korean law, use of marijuana carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment or a fine of up to 50 million won ($40,000).

Why President Park Owes Choi Soon-sil

An article in the Chosun Ilbo (Daily News) alleges the Choi family gave several hundred thousands of dollars to President Park's election campaigns for the National Assembly in 1998 and 2000.

Chosun Ilbo: Choi Soon-sil's Family 'Bankrolled Park's Entry into Politics'

Prosecutors Raid Presidential Secretary Office

Prosecutors just announced that they have evidence that Woo Byung-woo, ex-Presidential Senior Secretary for Domestic Affairs was criminally negligent in his duties, and as of this moment, are carrying out a search warrant of the Special Department Internal Affairs inside the Senior Secretary's Office for Domestic Affairs.

Woo Byung-woo resigned last month, and his replacement's resignation was just announced today.

Korea Times: Prosecution raids presidential office 

Korea Times: Prosecutors raid NPS, Samsung 

Joongang Daily: ex-Presidential Chief Secretary Kim Ki-choon Tied To Choi Soon-sil Family

Farmers are driving their tractors to Seoul for the demonstrations this Saturday.

Organizers expect over 1.5 million to protest in Seoul and 500,000 in other cities.

Hankyoreh News: University student councils planning class boycotts 

Prosecutors Have Evidence To Turn Candlelights Into Torches

After the Presidential Office accused the Prosecutors of bias in their investigations and calling the charges listed in the recent indictments "figments of the imagination", there are reports that prosecutors are saying that they already have enough evidence to turn the candlelight demonstrations into torch bearing protests. They say that if they release 10 seconds of the recording between an aide and President Park, candlelight protests would turn into torch bearing ones.

Pretty heated exchange. Unheard of, in my lifetime.

Media is now focusing attention on the other two major conspirators in the scandals, Kim Ki-chun, ex-Presidential Chief of Staff, and Woo Byung-woo, ex-Senior Secretary for Domestic Affairs.

Nobody has found any evidence against these two, so far. However, if they did not know what was going on, they are, at the very least, guilty of gross neglect.

Yesterday, the Gyung-gi Province Governor, Nam Kyung-pil and ruling party assemblyman, Kim Yong-tae held a press conference and announced that they have left the Saenuri Party.

Just on the news, the Minister of Justice, Kim Hyung-ung, and the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, Choi Jae-kyung just resigned.

These are the two people who report to the President on police, justice, and intelligence matters and take the President's orders. If they continue to help the President hide, then they are complicit. No choice.

Korea Times: President must take witness stand

Dong-Ah Daily: Presidential staff must not assist in president's personal criminal defense

Most of the major universities have announced a boycott of classes from this Friday, saying if weekend protests are not enough, then they need to do more.

Eight more ruling party members just announced that they are leaving the ruling Saenuri Party.