South Korea’s presidency ‘on the brink of collapse’ as scandal grows
½ºÄµµé Ä¿Áö¸ç Çѱ¹ ´ëÅë·ÉÁ÷ ‘ºØ±« À§±â’
¡ã South Korean President Park Geun-hye bows after releasing a statement of apology during a news conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul this week. (Yonhap/Reuters)Çѱ¹ ¹Ú±ÙÇý ´ëÅë·ÉÀÌ À̹ø ÁÖ Ã»¿Í´ë¿¡¼ÀÇ ±âÀÚȸ°ß Áß »ç°ú¹®À» ¹ßÇ¥ÇÑ ÈÄ Àλ縦 ÇÏ°í ÀÖ´Ù.
By Anna Fifield and Yoonjung Seo, October 29 at 1:00 AM
TOKYO — South Korea’s president is engulfed in a political scandal with plotlines straight out of a soap opera: rumors of secret advisers, nepotism and ill-gotten gains, plus a whiff of sex. There’s even a Korean Rasputin and talk of a mysterious clique called the “eight fairies.”
µµÄì – Çѱ¹ ´ëÅë·ÉÀº ºñ¹Ð Âü¸ð, Á¤½Ç Àλç, ºÎÁ¤ À̵æÀÇ ¼Ò¹®, °Ô´Ù°¡ ¼½½º µî ¿¬¼Ó±Ø¿¡³ª ³ª¿È Á÷ÇÑ ³»¿ëÀÇ Á¤Ä¡Àû ½ºÄµµé ¼Ó¿¡ ºüÁ®ÀÖ´Ù. ½ÉÁö¾î´Â Çѱ¹ÆÇ ¶ó½ºÇªÆ¾°ú “Æȼ±³à”¶ó ºÒ¸®´Â ¼ö»ó½Àº ¸ðÀÓµµ ³ª¿Â´Ù.
On Friday, Park directed all of her top advisers to resign en masse, with her spokesman saying a reshuffle would take place, the Yonhap news agency reported. Kim Jae-won, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, told a parliamentary session that Park’s chief of staff had already stepped down.
±Ý¿äÀÏ, ¹Ú ´ëÅë·ÉÀº ¸ðµç ¼ö¼® ºñ¼°üµéÀÇ ÀÏ°ý »çÇ¥¸¦ Áö½ÃÇßÀ¸¸ç û¿Í´ë ´ëº¯ÀÎÀº »õ ºñ¼ÁøÀ» ²Ù¸± °ÍÀ̶ó°í ¸»Çß´Ù°í ¿¬ÇÕ ´º½º´Â º¸µµÇß´Ù. ±èÀç¿ø Á¤¹«¼ö¼®Àº ÀÇȸ ȸ±â¿¡¼ ¹Ú ´ëÅë·ÉÀÇ ºñ¼½ÇÀåÀÌ ÀÌ¹Ì »çÅðÇß´Ù°í º¸°íÇß´Ù.
It’s not clear, however, whether it will be enough.
±×·¯³ª, ±×°ÍÀ¸·Î ÃæºÐÇÑÁö´Â ºÐ¸íÄ¡ ¾Ê´Ù.
“Park Geun-hye’s leadership is on the brink of collapse,” said Yoo Chang-sun, a left-leaning political analyst. Shin Yool, a right-leaning professor at Myongji University, called it the “biggest crisis” since South Korea was founded 70 years ago. “The president has lost her ability to function as leader.”
“¹Ú±ÙÇýÀÇ Áöµµ·ÂÀº ºØ±« Á÷ÀüÀÌ´Ù”°í ÁÂÆíÇâÀûÀÎ Á¤Ä¡ ºÐ¼®°¡ À¯Ã¢¼± ¾¾°¡ ¸»Çß´Ù. ¿ìÆíÇâÀûÀÎ ¸íÁö´ëÇб³ ½ÅÀ² ±³¼ö´Â 70³â Àü Çѱ¹ °Ç±¹ ÀÌ·¡·Î “ÃÖ´ë À§±â”¶ó°í Çö »óȲÀ» ÁöĪÇß´Ù. “¹Ú ´ëÅë·ÉÀº ÁöµµÀڷμ ¿ªÇÒÀ» Çس¾ ´É·ÂÀ» ÀÒ¾ú´Ù.”
JTBC, a television network, said it had found a tablet computer that contained files of speeches the president had yet to give, among other documents. The younger Choi is said to have edited the landmark speech that Park gave in Germany in 2014, laying out her vision for unification with the North. The Hankyoreh newspaper wrote that actual presidential aides “were just mice to Choi’s cat.”
TV ¹æ¼Û JTBC´Â, ´ëÅë·ÉÀÌ ¾ÆÁ÷ ÇÏÁö ¾ÊÀº ¿¬¼³¹® ÆÄÀϵéÀ» Æ÷ÇÔÇÑ ¹®¼¸¦ ´ã°í ÀÖ´Â ÅÂºí¸´ ÄÄÇ»Å͸¦ ã¾Ò´Ù°í ¸»Çß´Ù. ÃÖ¼ø½ÇÀº ³²ºÏÅëÀÏ¿¡ ´ëÇÑ ¹Ú±ÙÇýÀÇ ºñÀüÀ» Á¦½ÃÇß´ø ¿¬¼³·Î 2014³â µ¶ÀÏ¿¡¼ ¹Ú±ÙÇý°¡ ÇàÇÑ ±× Áß¿äÇÑ ¿¬¼³ÀÇ ¿ø°í¸¦ ¼öÁ¤ÇÑ °ÍÀ¸·Î ¾Ë·ÁÁ® ÀÖ´Ù. ÇÑ°Ü·¹ ½Å¹®Àº ´ëÅë·ÉÀÇ ½ÇÁ¦ º¸Á°üµéÀÌ “ÃÖ ¾¾¶ó´Â °í¾çÀÌ ¾ÕÀÇ Áã¿¡ ºÒ°úÇß´Ù”°í ¸»ÇÑ´Ù.
She is also rumored to have created a secret group called “the eight fairies” to advise the president behind the scenes.
¶ÇÇÑ ÃÖ ¾¾°¡ ¸·ÈÄ¿¡¼ ´ëÅë·É¿¡°Ô ÀÚ¹®À» ÇØÁÖ±â À§ÇÑ “8¼±³à”¶ó´Â ºñ¹ÐÁ¶Á÷À» ¸¸µé¾ú´Ù´Â ¼Ò¹®µµ ÀÖ´Ù.
South Korean media have been full of Photoshopped graphics to illustrate the relationship, including one showing Park as a puppet and Choi Soon-sil pulling her strings.
Çѱ¹ ¾ð·ÐÀº ¹Ú ´ëÅë·ÉÀ» ²ÀµÎ°¢½Ã·Î, ±×¸®°í ÃÖ¼ø½ÇÀº ±× ²ÀµÎ°¢½ÃÀÇ ÁÙÀ» Á¶Á¾ÇÏ´Â »ç¶÷À¸·Î ±×¸° ±×¸² µî µÎ »ç¶÷ÀÇ °ü°è¸¦ ¼³¸íÇÏ´Â Æ÷Åä¼¥ ±×¸²µé·Î °¡µæÇß´Ù.
Meanwhile, investigators are looking into allegations that Choi siphoned off money from two recently established foundations that collected about $70 million from the Federation of Korean Industries, the big business lobby with members including Samsung and Hyundai. Prosecutors raided Choi’s home in Seoul this week looking for evidence.
ÇÑÆí, ¼ö»ç°üµéÀº ÃÖ±Ù ¼³¸³µÇ¾î »ï¼º°ú Çö´ë µî ´ë±â¾÷µéÀ» ȸ¿øÀ¸·Î µÐ Àü°æ·ÃÀ¸·ÎºÎÅÍ ¾à 7õ¸¸ ´Þ·¯¸¦ ¸ð±ÝÇÑ µÎ Àç´ÜÀÇ ÀÚ±ÝÀ» ÃÖ ¾¾°¡ »çÀûÀ¸·Î À¯¿ëÇÑ ÇøÀǵéÀ» Á¶»ç Áß¿¡ ÀÖ´Ù. °ËÂûÀº Áõ°Å¸¦ ã±â À§ÇØ À̹ø ÁÖ ¼¿ï¿¡ ÀÖ´Â ÃÖ ¾¾ÀÇ ÀÚÅÃÀ» ¾Ð¼ö¼ö»ö Çß´Ù.
Ironically, this all comes less than a month after Park’s administration instituted a wide-ranging new law aimed at cracking down on corruption and influence peddling.
¿ª¼³ÀûÀ¸·Î, ÀÌ ¸ðµç °ÍÀÌ ¹Ú±ÙÇý Á¤ºÎ°¡ ºÎÆÐ¿Í ±Ç·Â³²¿ëÀ» ¾öÁߴܼÓÇÏ°Ú´Ù´Â ¸ñÇ¥¸¦ °¡Áö°í Æ÷°ýÀûÀÎ »õ·Î¿î ¹ýÀ» ½Ç½ÃÇÑ Áö ä ÇÑ ´Þµµ µÇÁö ¾ÊÀº »óÅ¿¡¼ ÀϾ´Ù.
Choi is in Germany with her daughter and is refusing to return to South Korea to answer questions, saying she is having heart problems and cannot fly. But in an interview with the Segye Ilbo, she denied creating the Eight Fairies group, owning the tablet or knowingly receiving classified information. “Because I was not a government official, I had no idea that this was confidential,” she told the paper.
ÃÖ¼ø½ÇÀº ÀÚ½ÅÀÇ µþ°ú µ¶ÀÏ¿¡ ¸Ó¹°°í ÀÖ°í, ½ÉÀå¿¡ ¹®Á¦°¡ ÀÖ¾î ºñÇà±â¸¦ Å» ¼ö ¾ø´Ù¸ç Á¶»ç¹Þ±â À§ÇØ Çѱ¹¿¡ µ¹¾Æ¿À±â¸¦ °ÅºÎÇÏ°í ÀÖ´Ù. ±×·¯³ª ¼¼°èÀϺ¸¿ÍÀÇ ÀÎÅͺ信¼, ÃÖ ¾¾´Â Æȼ±³à¸¦ ¸¸µç ÀÏÀ» ºÎÀÎÇÏ°í ÅÂºí¸´ÀÌ ÀÚ½ÅÀÇ °ÍÀÌ ¾Æ´Ï¶ó°í ÇßÀ¸¸ç ±â¹Ð Á¤º¸¸¦ ¹ÞÀº Àϵµ ºÎÀÎÇß´Ù. “³ª´Â Á¤ºÎ Àλ絵 ¾Æ´Ï±â ¶§¹®¿¡ ÀÌ°ÍÀÌ ±â¹ÐÀÎÁö ÀüÇô ¸ô¶ú´Ù”°í ±×³à´Â ¼¼°èÀϺ¸¿¡ ¸»Çß´Ù.
Park apologized Tuesday for the scandal, saying she had always acted “with a pure heart.” Then she canceled a planned meeting related to North Korea on Friday so she could consider ways to “resolve the nation’s anxiety and stably run the government,” according to a spokesman.
¹Ú±ÙÇý´Â È¿äÀÏ ½ºÄµµé¿¡ ´ëÇØ »ç°úÇϸç ÀÚ½ÅÀº Ç×»ó “¼ø¼öÇÑ ¸¶À½”À¸·Î ÇൿÇß´Ù°í ¸»Çß´Ù. ÀÌÈÄ ¹Ú±ÙÇý´Â “±¹°¡ÀÇ ºÒ¾ÈÀ» ÇؼÒÇÏ°í Á¤ºÎ¸¦ ¾ÈÁ¤µÇ°Ô ¿î¿µ”ÇÏ´Â ±æÀ» µµ¸ðÇϱâ À§ÇØ ±Ý¿äÀÏ ºÏÇÑ°ú °ü·ÃµÈ ¸ðÀÓÀ» Ãë¼ÒÇß´Ù°í ´ëº¯ÀÎÀÌ ÀüÇß´Ù.
She did, however, attend a ceremony in the southern city of Busan, where university students shouted “Park Geun-hye should step down!” and “Choi Soon-sil must be arrested!”
ÇÏÁö¸¸ ¹Ú±ÙÇý´Â ³²ºÎ µµ½ÃÀÎ ºÎ»êÀÇ ÇÑ Çà»ç¿¡ Âü°¡Çß°í, ÀÌ°÷¿¡¼ ´ëÇлýµéÀº “¹Ú±ÙÇý´Â ÇϾßÇ϶ó!” “ÃÖ¼ø½ÇÀ» ±¸¼ÓÇ϶ó!”°í ¿ÜÃÆ´Ù.
South Korea is no stranger to political corruption scandals — almost every president has been tainted by one — but this time feels different to some analysts.
Çѱ¹¿¡¼ Á¤Ä¡Àû ºÎÆÐ ½ºÄµµéÀº ÀüÇô ³¸¼± ÀÏÀÌ ¾Æ´Ï¾î¼ °ÅÀÇ ¸ðµç ´ëÅë·ÉµéÀÌ ÀÌ¿¡ ¿¬·çµÈ ¹Ù ÀÖÀ¸³ª À̹øÀº ´Þ¶ó º¸Àδٰí ÀϺΠºÐ¼®°¡µéÀº ¸»ÇÑ´Ù.
“There’s been corruption around the center of power throughout South Korean political history, but they have involved family members or people close to the president, but not the actual president,” said Shin of Myongji University.
“Çѱ¹ Á¤Ä¡»ç ³»³» ±Ç·ÂÀÇ Á߽ɺο¡´Â ºÎÆа¡ ÀÖ¾ú´Ù. ±×·¯³ª ÀÌ°ÍÀº °¡Á·À̳ª ´ëÅë·É Ãø±ÙÀÌ ¿¬·çµÇ¾úÁö, ½ÇÁ¦ ´ëÅë·ÉÀº ¾Æ´Ï¾ú´Ù”°í ¸íÁö´ëÇб³ ½Å ±³¼ö´Â ¸»Çß´Ù.
“I can only think of two ways for Park Geun-hye to get out of this situation: She can propose a grand-coalition government or promise to step down after a constitutional amendment [allowing her to cede power] is passed,” he said.
“³ª´Â ¹Ú±ÙÇý°¡ ÀÌ »óȲ¿¡¼ ¹þ¾î³ª±â À§Çؼ´Â µÎ °¡Áö ±æ¹Û¿¡ ¾ø´Ù°í º»´Ù. Áï ±×³à°¡ ´ë¿¬Á¤À» Á¦¾ÈÇϰųª [±Ç·Â À̾çÀ» Çã¶ôÇÏ´Â] Çå¹ý °³Á¤ÀÌ Åë°úÇÑ ÈÄ ÇϾßÇÒ °ÍÀ» ¾à¼ÓÇϰųª”¶ó°í ±×´Â ¸»Çß´Ù.
Park’s five-year term runs until the end of next year.
¹Ú±ÙÇýÀÇ 5³â ÀÓ±â´Â ³»³â ¸»±îÁö Áö¼ÓµÈ´Ù.
The Chosun Ilbo, South Korea’s largest newspaper and an influential conservative voice, was similarly damning.
Çѱ¹ ÃÖ´ë ½Å¹®ÀÌÀÚ ¿µÇâ·Â ÀÖ´Â º¸¼ö ¸ÅüÀÎ Á¶¼±ÀϺ¸µµ ºñ½ÁÇÏ°Ô È¤ÆòÀ» Çß´Ù.
“This is no ordinary lame-duck phenomenon. This is a complete collapse of a president’s ability to run a government,” it said in an editorial this week, calling on her to dissolve her government secretariat and appoint a caretaker prime minister.
“ÀÌ°ÍÀº Á¤»óÀûÀÎ ·¹ÀÓ´ö Çö»óÀÌ ¾Æ´Ï´Ù. ÀÌ´Â Á¤ºÎ¸¦ ¿î¿µÇÒ ¼ö ÀÖ´Â ´ëÅë·ÉÀÇ ´É·ÂÀÌ ¿ÏÀüÈ÷ ºØ±«µÈ °ÍÀÌ´Ù”¶ó°í Á¶¼±ÀϺ¸´Â À̹ø ÁÖ »ç¼³¿¡¼ ¸»Çϸç, ³»°¢À» ÇØ»êÇÏ°í ÀÓ½ÃÃѸ®¸¦ ÀÓ¸íÇÒ °ÍÀ» ¿ä±¸Çß´Ù.
“The only way open to her is to pull out of government and put the public good first,” it wrote. “Many people are ashamed for her. It is time she was, too.”
“¹Ú±ÙÇý¿¡°Ô ³²¾ÆÀÖ´Â À¯ÀÏÇÑ ¹æ¹ýÀº Á¤ºÎ¿¡¼ ¹°·¯³ª´Â °Í°ú °øÀÍÀ» ¿ì¼±ÇÏ´Â °ÍÀÌ´Ù”¶ó¸ç “¸¹Àº ±¹¹ÎÀº ±×³à ¶§¹®¿¡ ¼öÄ¡½º·´´Ù. ÀÌÁ¦ ±×³àµµ ¼öÄ¡¸¦ ´À²¸¾ß ÇÒ ¶§´Ù”¶ó°í »ç¼³Àº ¸»Çß´Ù.
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