German prosecutors have listed Choi Soon-sil and her daughter as major criminals and are investigating their wealth. It is alleged that they have over $660 million stored in 500 companies and bank accounts under false names.
Korea Times: Probe targets Choi Soon-sil's daughter and hidden $660 million
Thursday, December 22, 2016
How to Convince Someone When Facts Fail
That's the title of a Scientific American article on cognitive dissonance and how best to handle people who refuse to believe the facts.
Experiments have shown that people will make up or distort things in order to reduce dissonance, which arises when a person holds two conflicting thoughts. Conflicting thoughts arise when someone lies, is dishonest, and such. If unchecked, it will continue in something like a feedback cycle.
Sounds like they are talking about President Park supporters. The article explains how lies or falsehoods cause people to justify themselves and lead to a distortion of reality. So, the worst thing to do is to tell pro-Park supporters that they are wrong. It will only cause them to reinforce their false beliefs and make them more radical.
They have been talking about cognitive dissonance for decades. I thought the best approach was to just observe people with cognitive dissonance from a distance and if you have to deal with them, then try to absorb some of their negativity. The article suggests pretty much the same.
1. Keep emotions out of it.
2. Don't attack. Discuss.
3. Listen carefully and try to fully understand the person's perspective.
4. Show respect.
5. Show that you understand why the person might have that opinion.
6. Try to show the person the facts and that the facts do not really change that person's view of the world.
Scientific American: How to Convince Someone When Facts Fail
Experiments have shown that people will make up or distort things in order to reduce dissonance, which arises when a person holds two conflicting thoughts. Conflicting thoughts arise when someone lies, is dishonest, and such. If unchecked, it will continue in something like a feedback cycle.
Sounds like they are talking about President Park supporters. The article explains how lies or falsehoods cause people to justify themselves and lead to a distortion of reality. So, the worst thing to do is to tell pro-Park supporters that they are wrong. It will only cause them to reinforce their false beliefs and make them more radical.
They have been talking about cognitive dissonance for decades. I thought the best approach was to just observe people with cognitive dissonance from a distance and if you have to deal with them, then try to absorb some of their negativity. The article suggests pretty much the same.
1. Keep emotions out of it.
2. Don't attack. Discuss.
3. Listen carefully and try to fully understand the person's perspective.
4. Show respect.
5. Show that you understand why the person might have that opinion.
6. Try to show the person the facts and that the facts do not really change that person's view of the world.
Scientific American: How to Convince Someone When Facts Fail
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Noose Is Tightening On President Park And Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor's Office investigating the Choi Soon-sil scandal keeps leaking details of its investigations. They seem to be asking President Park to resign or they will slowly reveal all that they know. They have told us about portions of telephone conversations and the ex-Presidential Secretary Ahn Jong-bom's notebooks. In the notes, there were memos on orders from the President in relation to the Samsung's merger.
Now, they have released the details of their investigation into influence peddling in the Samsung companies merger. They say that this is only one step in the process of transferring control of Samsung to vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong and explained how he might have committed perjury during the recent National Assembly Investigative Hearings in the Choi Soon-sil scandals.
Read all about it in the Hankyoreh News article: Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong may have perjured at National Assembly hearing
The Joongang Daily News investigated further into the contract between Samsung and the German sports company owned by Choi Soon-sil. Over $800,000 from Samsung was used to pay for Choi's personal expenses for seven months in Germany. For more details, go to Joongang Daily News: Samsung signed suspicious deal with Choi
The Special Prosecutor is also looking into President Park's financial association with the family of Choi Soon-sil over the forty years that they have know each other. A stepson of Choi Tae-min (Choi Soon-sil's father) stated, shortly before he died, that a truckload of money and bonds were transported out of the Presidential residence on the night Park Chung-hee was assassinated. Before this, the Choi family were poor. Right after, the daughters started buying buildings in southern Seoul.
Forty years of leaving behind evidence, almost got caught many times, but always managed to get off. The times have definitely changed in Korea. These people are going to be caught and jailed, even if they know or are the President. We still have plenty of bad, or put more kindly, misled people, but the tide is turning. It should have continued from President's Kim Dae-jung and Noh Moo-hyun, but it got backtracked.
Former President Noh did not embargo, or force the press to publish things. He did not influence prosecutors, or police. He did not appoint his own director to the intelligence agency, but promoted from within. He installed a computer system, so that no one could erase Presidential records and other things. He never met anyone one-on-one in meetings and always had witnesses in attendance. He wanted transparency and freedom. I think that is why most of the rich and powerful, especially the ruling Saenuri party and President Park hate him and always try to discredit him. I get a lot of flak for saying that.
Now, they have released the details of their investigation into influence peddling in the Samsung companies merger. They say that this is only one step in the process of transferring control of Samsung to vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong and explained how he might have committed perjury during the recent National Assembly Investigative Hearings in the Choi Soon-sil scandals.
Read all about it in the Hankyoreh News article: Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong may have perjured at National Assembly hearing
The Joongang Daily News investigated further into the contract between Samsung and the German sports company owned by Choi Soon-sil. Over $800,000 from Samsung was used to pay for Choi's personal expenses for seven months in Germany. For more details, go to Joongang Daily News: Samsung signed suspicious deal with Choi
The Special Prosecutor is also looking into President Park's financial association with the family of Choi Soon-sil over the forty years that they have know each other. A stepson of Choi Tae-min (Choi Soon-sil's father) stated, shortly before he died, that a truckload of money and bonds were transported out of the Presidential residence on the night Park Chung-hee was assassinated. Before this, the Choi family were poor. Right after, the daughters started buying buildings in southern Seoul.
Forty years of leaving behind evidence, almost got caught many times, but always managed to get off. The times have definitely changed in Korea. These people are going to be caught and jailed, even if they know or are the President. We still have plenty of bad, or put more kindly, misled people, but the tide is turning. It should have continued from President's Kim Dae-jung and Noh Moo-hyun, but it got backtracked.
Former President Noh did not embargo, or force the press to publish things. He did not influence prosecutors, or police. He did not appoint his own director to the intelligence agency, but promoted from within. He installed a computer system, so that no one could erase Presidential records and other things. He never met anyone one-on-one in meetings and always had witnesses in attendance. He wanted transparency and freedom. I think that is why most of the rich and powerful, especially the ruling Saenuri party and President Park hate him and always try to discredit him. I get a lot of flak for saying that.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
More Proof Of Bribery In President Park Scandal
The media reported that they had found documents recording expenses incurred in Germany by Chung Yu-ra and Choi Soon-sil. These documents show that they spent over $800,000 on personal items and expenses, such as pet supplies, diapers, ironing board and so on. Once source close to Choi Soon-sil claims these documents were supposed to be submitted to Samsung as proof of expenses incurred via a sports company owned by Choi Soon-sil in Germany under a consulting contract with Samsung.
Joongang Daily News: Choi’s Germany trip was on Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor is carrying out search warrants at the National Pension System, the Ministry in charge of overseeing pensions, and ten other locations. I think they are trying to find evidence of outside pressure in the decision to approve the Samsung merger.
Korea Herald: Special prosecutors raid state-run pension service
Korea Times: Independent prosecutor team raids pension service
To prove the bribery charges, the prosecutors need to find evidence linking the Samsung merger approval by the National Pension System and the money that Choi Soon-sil spent. Then they can charge the President with bribery.
The Hankyoreh: Targeting Park’s bribery and Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor managed to find the personal secretary of Choi Soon-sil. This personal secretary visited Ewha University many times and testified that she gave six packages to Ewha representatives.
If the President and her aides were busy doing their thing, what about everyone else?
Well, one Presidential aide went off on his own and managed to get over $5,000,000 from a Pusan property developer. Both are now in jail awaiting trial. I think we will find out about the others in the future, once things settle down.
A producer for MBC TV revealed that he was pressured by his General Manager to hire and pay a higher than average wage to the actor son of Chung Yoon-hae (ex-husband of Choi Soon-sil). There had been rumors and allegations, but this is the first witness.
So far, all the evidence continues to confirm all the allegations and point to even more corruption.
Joongang Daily News: Choi’s Germany trip was on Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor is carrying out search warrants at the National Pension System, the Ministry in charge of overseeing pensions, and ten other locations. I think they are trying to find evidence of outside pressure in the decision to approve the Samsung merger.
Korea Herald: Special prosecutors raid state-run pension service
Korea Times: Independent prosecutor team raids pension service
To prove the bribery charges, the prosecutors need to find evidence linking the Samsung merger approval by the National Pension System and the money that Choi Soon-sil spent. Then they can charge the President with bribery.
The Hankyoreh: Targeting Park’s bribery and Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor managed to find the personal secretary of Choi Soon-sil. This personal secretary visited Ewha University many times and testified that she gave six packages to Ewha representatives.
If the President and her aides were busy doing their thing, what about everyone else?
Well, one Presidential aide went off on his own and managed to get over $5,000,000 from a Pusan property developer. Both are now in jail awaiting trial. I think we will find out about the others in the future, once things settle down.
A producer for MBC TV revealed that he was pressured by his General Manager to hire and pay a higher than average wage to the actor son of Chung Yoon-hae (ex-husband of Choi Soon-sil). There had been rumors and allegations, but this is the first witness.
So far, all the evidence continues to confirm all the allegations and point to even more corruption.
President Park Had Cosmetic Surgery Between April 16 and 20, 2014
The media gathered up all their high resolution pictures of President Park and found that she had undergone regular cosmetic surgery for years.
They found pictures of the President on April 15, 2014 which showed no marks on her cheeks. However, in pictures on April 21, 2014, there was punctures and bruising on the bottom of her left cheek. Doctors say that it looked like the President had filler or some type of treatment a few days before.
During testimony in front of the Parliament, all of the President's doctors denied having performed cosmetic surgery or treatments, including the doctor who runs the plastic surgery clinic.
Whether the President had cosmetic treatments on the day of the ferry sinking or after, people feel that this was extremely inappropriate. The whole nation was watching as students suffocated and drowned over several days, stuck inside the ferry. How could President Park even think about her looks? Heartless.
They found pictures of the President on April 15, 2014 which showed no marks on her cheeks. However, in pictures on April 21, 2014, there was punctures and bruising on the bottom of her left cheek. Doctors say that it looked like the President had filler or some type of treatment a few days before.
President Park's face on April 21, 2014
During testimony in front of the Parliament, all of the President's doctors denied having performed cosmetic surgery or treatments, including the doctor who runs the plastic surgery clinic.
Whether the President had cosmetic treatments on the day of the ferry sinking or after, people feel that this was extremely inappropriate. The whole nation was watching as students suffocated and drowned over several days, stuck inside the ferry. How could President Park even think about her looks? Heartless.
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Witness Forecasted Ruling Party Member's Questions Days In Advance
Ko Yong-Tae, an ex-employee of Choi Soon-sil, forecasted to reporters that Lee Man-hee, a ruling party parliamentarian, would ask Park Hon-yong, employee of Choi Soon-sil, certain questions and that Park Hon-yong would answer in a certain way.
Yesterday, the forecast came true. The questions and answers were aimed at discrediting testimony regarding the incriminating tablet PC with all the evidence.
Lee Man-hee said that two people came to him with questions, so he asked the questions. When it was pointed out that Lee also met a close associate of Choi Soon-sil, Lee admitted that he did, but stated that he did not collude to discredit testimony surrounding the tablet PC.
There is growing evidence that Choi Soon-sil was also active in ruling party politics and has influence over many of them.
Korea Times: 'Testimony conspiracy' causing stir
Donga Ilbo: Those who lied about Choi Soon-sil’s tablet PC
Another Parliamentarian Yi Wan-yong, also of the ruling Saenuri Party, is accused of asking a witness to commit perjury and lie about the tablet PC.
Joongang Daily: Rep. Yi accused of telling witness to lie
These people must be desperate. Desperate enough to ask people to perjure. Sounds guilty to me.
Many people have wondered why former President Lee Myung-bak was never really investigated over corruption during his term in office. His administration was the one that lowered corporate taxes, and spent billions on needless water projects where all the construction companies conspired on bidding and stole billions of dollars. As I stated before, President Park pardoned these companies. The ruling party and the rich have done stuff like this ever since Park Chung-hee's time. Talk about tradition.
Why don't Koreans do anything about it? We tried, but too many of us believe what we see on TV and read in the news, which used to be controlled by you know who. Nowadays, it seems there are many factions fighting to publish their side of the news, with the Presidential office ordering the media to spread propaganda and misleading leaks.
On MBN TV News, they stated evidence showing former President Lee had people spied on and investigated by Korean intelligence to dig up dirt. He also had the tax office go after people and organizations.
Many people have previously suggested that ex-President Lee has enough damaging evidence on President Park to prevent any investigation. It is probably evidence of mass embezzlement at the Yookyung Foundation and Youngnam University, along with other dirty deeds.
Yesterday, the forecast came true. The questions and answers were aimed at discrediting testimony regarding the incriminating tablet PC with all the evidence.
Lee Man-hee said that two people came to him with questions, so he asked the questions. When it was pointed out that Lee also met a close associate of Choi Soon-sil, Lee admitted that he did, but stated that he did not collude to discredit testimony surrounding the tablet PC.
There is growing evidence that Choi Soon-sil was also active in ruling party politics and has influence over many of them.
Korea Times: 'Testimony conspiracy' causing stir
Donga Ilbo: Those who lied about Choi Soon-sil’s tablet PC
Another Parliamentarian Yi Wan-yong, also of the ruling Saenuri Party, is accused of asking a witness to commit perjury and lie about the tablet PC.
Joongang Daily: Rep. Yi accused of telling witness to lie
These people must be desperate. Desperate enough to ask people to perjure. Sounds guilty to me.
Many people have wondered why former President Lee Myung-bak was never really investigated over corruption during his term in office. His administration was the one that lowered corporate taxes, and spent billions on needless water projects where all the construction companies conspired on bidding and stole billions of dollars. As I stated before, President Park pardoned these companies. The ruling party and the rich have done stuff like this ever since Park Chung-hee's time. Talk about tradition.
Why don't Koreans do anything about it? We tried, but too many of us believe what we see on TV and read in the news, which used to be controlled by you know who. Nowadays, it seems there are many factions fighting to publish their side of the news, with the Presidential office ordering the media to spread propaganda and misleading leaks.
On MBN TV News, they stated evidence showing former President Lee had people spied on and investigated by Korean intelligence to dig up dirt. He also had the tax office go after people and organizations.
Many people have previously suggested that ex-President Lee has enough damaging evidence on President Park to prevent any investigation. It is probably evidence of mass embezzlement at the Yookyung Foundation and Youngnam University, along with other dirty deeds.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Talk About Putting Your Foot In Your Mouth! Irony!
Due to legislation initiated by two ruling party members will be instrumental in convicting and impeaching President Park.
One allows emails and other electronically transmitted data to be used as evidence. Before, we could not use emails. It just went into effect in May of this year and pro-Park fanatic Kim Jin-tae was the one who authored the bill. Without this legislation, the tablet PC that contains the incriminating electronic files could not be used as evidence in a court of law. Kim Jin-tae wanted this legislation because the prosecution couldn't use emails as evidence in prosecuting an alleged spy, or something, if I remember correctly.
Another was authored by President Park's longtime legal advisor and ex-Presidential Chief Secretary Kim Ki-chun. He tried to impeach President Noh Moo-hyun. When the Constitutional Court ruled against impeachment, he authored a bill that makes justices write their opinions individually, rather than just the majority ruling. This is very good. Now, we know exactly how the justices voted and their reasons. Less room for funny business.
Yesterday, Kim Ki-chun was forbidden to leave the country. He also perjured himself by swearing he did not know Choi Soon-sil. When video evidence of him sitting at a hearing investigating claims of Choi Soon-sil's involvement with Park Keun-hye in 2007 (she was running for ruling party leader) proved that he knew about Choi Soon-sil, he changed his testimony. He said that he knew about Choi Soon-sil, but forgot due to old age. He also added that he only knew about her, and that he did not know her personally.
Along with Kim Ki-chun, Samsung Vice-chairman Lee Jae-young, SK Chairman Choi -Tae-won, and Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin were also forbidden to leave the country.
Korea Times: Samsung vice chairman banned from overseas travel
The media estimates that 10 witnesses to the Parliamentary investigation into the Choi Soon-sil scandal have perjured themselves. Perjury in front of Parliamentary investigations was rarely punished before, but now they will be imprisoned for 1-10 years. For them, it is better to lie than admit the truth, since the truth carries such a large penalty. Another year or two added to their sentences is better than to admit everything on national TV.
There was a 60 Minutes type of show on the SBS TV channel about murders and deaths surrounding the Yookyung Foundation which was set up by Dictator Park Chung-hee. President Park and her siblings ran this foundation during the times when all the income vanished and only debts remained. It appears two or three people were murdered in order to silence them and prevent them from testifying against associates of the Park family. Wonder how this one will turn out.
All the skeletons are coming out of the closet now.
Movies on blacklisted topics will be coming out next year. Movies about the Sewol ferry tragedy, meddling in the last Presidential elections by Korean intelligence and the Military Cyber Command, and illegal slush funds gathered during the Lee Myung-bak administration. These three movies were backed by crowd funding, I think.
The Hankyoreh: Exploring S. Korea’s darker episodes
One allows emails and other electronically transmitted data to be used as evidence. Before, we could not use emails. It just went into effect in May of this year and pro-Park fanatic Kim Jin-tae was the one who authored the bill. Without this legislation, the tablet PC that contains the incriminating electronic files could not be used as evidence in a court of law. Kim Jin-tae wanted this legislation because the prosecution couldn't use emails as evidence in prosecuting an alleged spy, or something, if I remember correctly.
Another was authored by President Park's longtime legal advisor and ex-Presidential Chief Secretary Kim Ki-chun. He tried to impeach President Noh Moo-hyun. When the Constitutional Court ruled against impeachment, he authored a bill that makes justices write their opinions individually, rather than just the majority ruling. This is very good. Now, we know exactly how the justices voted and their reasons. Less room for funny business.
Yesterday, Kim Ki-chun was forbidden to leave the country. He also perjured himself by swearing he did not know Choi Soon-sil. When video evidence of him sitting at a hearing investigating claims of Choi Soon-sil's involvement with Park Keun-hye in 2007 (she was running for ruling party leader) proved that he knew about Choi Soon-sil, he changed his testimony. He said that he knew about Choi Soon-sil, but forgot due to old age. He also added that he only knew about her, and that he did not know her personally.
Along with Kim Ki-chun, Samsung Vice-chairman Lee Jae-young, SK Chairman Choi -Tae-won, and Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin were also forbidden to leave the country.
Korea Times: Samsung vice chairman banned from overseas travel
The media estimates that 10 witnesses to the Parliamentary investigation into the Choi Soon-sil scandal have perjured themselves. Perjury in front of Parliamentary investigations was rarely punished before, but now they will be imprisoned for 1-10 years. For them, it is better to lie than admit the truth, since the truth carries such a large penalty. Another year or two added to their sentences is better than to admit everything on national TV.
There was a 60 Minutes type of show on the SBS TV channel about murders and deaths surrounding the Yookyung Foundation which was set up by Dictator Park Chung-hee. President Park and her siblings ran this foundation during the times when all the income vanished and only debts remained. It appears two or three people were murdered in order to silence them and prevent them from testifying against associates of the Park family. Wonder how this one will turn out.
All the skeletons are coming out of the closet now.
Movies on blacklisted topics will be coming out next year. Movies about the Sewol ferry tragedy, meddling in the last Presidential elections by Korean intelligence and the Military Cyber Command, and illegal slush funds gathered during the Lee Myung-bak administration. These three movies were backed by crowd funding, I think.
The Hankyoreh: Exploring S. Korea’s darker episodes