Last September, people were immensely shocked because it came out about Choi’s monopoly of government affairs. People felt angry. Also they demanded Park president’s resignation and investigation about monopoly of government affairs of people including Choi. So on November 17th, the special prosecutor appointed to the investigation of this affair was approved. On December 1st, Park Young-soo (65), former Seoul district director, was appointed special prosecutor and on the 21st the special prosecutor team started a 70 day official investigation.

Special Prosecutor Park achieved a lot of results. First, on the 24^th they called Choi who had a monopoly of government affairs on suspicion by the special prosecutor. On the 31st, Moon Hyung-Pyo former minister of welfare was arrested because he put unfair pressure on national pension for Samsung C&T corporation·Cheil Industries merger. During the change, the special prosecutor worked without rest. On January 10th, Nam Gung-Gon former Ewha Womans University chief of admission got arrested. Because he gave preferences to Choi’s daughter Jeong Yu-Ra. Following that, on the 18th, 19th and 21st, Kim gyeong-suk, former EWU dean of new industry convergence college, Ryu Cheol-gyun, EWU professor of digital media department and Lee In-Sung professor of clothing industry department for the same reasons. Furthermore on the 21st, Kim Ki-choon, former Blue House Chief Secretary and Jo Yoon-Sun, former minister of culture-sports were charged because they led a type cultural and art affiliation people blacklist on the direction of the president’s orders. The blacklist included artists who supported opposition candidate Moon Jae-In or Park Won-Soon and culture-artists who made declarations of the state of affairs and demanded disuse of government enforcement ordinance about the sinking of the Sewol Ferry. The government tried to cut support and disadvantage the artists. There are 9,473 artists. On February 3rd, the special prosecutor tried to search the Blue House. But this project was foundered because of the Blue House’s disapproval. On the 17th, Lee Jae-Yong, Samsung Electronics vice-chairman was arrested because he gave a lot of bribes to President Park and Choi Soon-Sil. Special prosecutor tried to extend the investigation period, but Hwang, the acting president disapproved. So they finished their investigation on the 28th. Special Prosecutor Park said, “Monopoly of government must come out into the open and reveal the fact of the cozy relations between politics and business. Our wish was the accomplishment of new communication and reconciliation. But we have a limited time so we did not achieve the wish. I’m so sorry,” and they finished the investigation.

Park Young-soo, former Seoul district director was appointed special prosecutor

Gallup Korea conducted a survey of 1010 people from last month. According to Gallup Korea, 61% of responders said, ‘Special prosecutor did well’ and 26% said ‘not good’ The reasons of ‘did well’ are ‘investigate of Samsung/arrest Lee Jae-Yong’ 16%, ‘they did their best’ 16%, ‘achieved results’ 10% and ‘investigated as a rule/act according to their conviction’ 6%. The reasons of ‘not good’ are ‘fail to investigate properly/hard’ 20%, ‘insufficiency of result/they failed to reveal monopoly of government affairs’ 20%, ‘limit of investigation time’ 10% and ‘they failed to investigate president’ 4%. Also someone said ‘prosecutor defended well but they failed to reveal Woo Byeong-Woo irrationality problem, repatriation of Jeong Yu-Ra and Sewol ferry 7 hours etc. They failed to solve people’s doubts.’ About ‘Hwang acting president did disapproval extension of investigation period’ 62% said ‘wrong thing’ and 25% said ‘good thing’. President impeachment objectors 77% and Liberty Korea Party supporters 74% think ‘good thing’. But except for that, most respondents think ‘wrong thing’. Like this, six out of ten Koreans think ‘Special Prosecutor Park’s team that investigated Choi Soon-sil gate did well’

By Choi Ga-Yun, cub-reporter  rkxnsl@naver.com

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