Korean Scandal Affects Its Neighbor

An English historian, John Dalberg-Acton, had predicted this South Korean scandal with his words: Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Special prosecutors on corruption of Park Geun-hye administration on Saturday made domiciliary search in the Presidential residence called Blue House. Park is suspected to have kept inappropriate relationship with her long-time associate, Choi Soon-sil, significantly eroding political support on her. The scandal may affect bilateral relation with Japan, which has been looking like improving.

The prosecutors showed the officers in Blue House a search warrant and required submission of documents related to the scandal. Frustrated with submission of “meaningless documents,” the prosecutors tried to make a coercive search on the office of Advisors for the President. Blue House rejected the search with reason of protecting secrets of the state. They seized computers or cell phones from the private houses of seven officers in Blue House.

Secrets of the state matters in this scandal. Having been a close ally for Park from the beginning of her political carrier, Choi is suspected to have received draft of Park’s speeches that might include top secrets of the states. When Choi edited those drafts, she read documents for cabinet meeting or reports from local government. That could violate the law to control information of the state.

Another scandal is about money, as political scandals always be. An advisor of Park is suspected to have pressured on major corporations to donate money for two funds, both of which were controlled by Choi. It might be an underground flow of political money to Choi. Now, Park can be depicted as puppet of a woman whose late father was a religious leader.

Park fired all her advisors to demonstrate reform of her administration. But, anger of the people has not tamed. Nine thousands of people made protest in downtown Seoul on Saturday. They required resignation of Park, regretting corruption of Blue House that proved their country had been controlled by an unknown lady. Supporting rate of Park showed steep decline after the scandal was reported.

The eclipse of Park administration may affect some achievement in bilateral relations with Japan. Japanese government is worried about decline of validity for agreement on settling bilateral dispute on comfort woman. Furious public of South Korea is likely to oppose a deal to remove statue of comfort woman in front of Japanese Embassy in Seoul. Bilateral negotiation over cooperation on exchanging military information can be also affected. This is a regrettable diplomatic slowdown in the time another uncontrollable nation in Korean Peninsula is raising its level of intimidation.