Lee Kyung-jae, Choi’s attorney speaks during a press conference held at his office building in Seoul on Sunday 09:30am.
[Yonhap Photo]
Choi Soon-sil, a woman seen as a spiritual parent and power broker behind South Korean President Park Geun-hye, returned to South Korea Sunday morning to cooperate with prosecutors.
“Choi Soon-sil arrived at Incheon International Airport on Sunday morning about 07:30am (10:30pm GMT),” said Lee Kyung-jae, Choi’s attorney during a press conference held at his office building in Seoul on 09:30am.
The attorney also pointed out: “Because of poor health, Choi Soon-sil had asked the prosecutors if they could give her a day to regain health conditions. Choi will fully cooperate with the prosecutors and is sorry for bringing despair and loss upon citizens’ hearts.”
However, many experts worry that, speculating from Choi’s past influences on political and legal circles, giving Choi a day before an investigation may give Choi Soon-sil time to create alibis and hide all evidence.
According to the attorney, Choi Soon-sil moved from Germany to England after South Korean media came close to catching up on her and returned home alone from London. The attorney did not answer when he was asked about Choi’s whereabouts and whether the return was the prosecutors’ request or Choi’s sole decision.
Park's mentor and late pastor Choi Tae-min’s daughter and the ex-wife of Park's former secretary Chung Yun-hoi, Choi is suspected of exerting her influence in the creation and operation of two nonprofit foundations.a
Choi Soon-sil recently acknowledged her involvement in editing presidential speeches during an interview with South Korea's daily Segye Times but dismissed her alleged role in stashing money from conglomerates. She is also suspected of playing a role in suspicious fundraising by the K-Sports foundation. There have been allegations that conglomerates had been forced to chip in for the foundation while some of the money went to paper companies established by Choi.
Aju News Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
