Gold-colored 'Park Geun-hye Watch' Sold for 490,000 Won on Junggonara... Authenticity Dispute

Former President Park Geun-hye's watch. (=Screenshot of a transaction post on Junggonara)

[Asia Economy Reporter Won Dara] It has been revealed that a gold-colored commemorative watch of former President Park Geun-hye, similar to the 'Park Geun-hye watch' worn by Lee Man-hee, the head of Shincheonji, was traded on a secondhand site. Controversy over its authenticity is intensifying.

On the 3rd, checking the secondhand goods trading community 'Junggonara,' it was found that on October 21 last year, a 'Park Geun-hye watch (gold)' was sold for 490,000 won.

Like the one worn by Chairman Lee, it is engraved with former President Park's signature and the Blue House logo. The seller stated in the sales post at the time, "It is gold-plated, made by the National Assembly for members of parliament." The watch features former President Park's signature and the Blue House logo, as well as a date dial, just like the one worn by Chairman Lee.

Kim Jin-tae, a member of the Future United Party, said in a post on his Facebook on the 2nd, "The Park Geun-hye watch is silver-plated, not gold like that," and added, "It is suspicious from the start that he wore that watch."

Yu Young-ha, a lawyer and close aide to former President Park, also stated, "There was no gold watch and no date dial," firmly declaring that the watch worn by Chairman Lee was "fake."

The Democratic Party is demanding an explanation regarding Shincheonji's alleged involvement in politics. Cho Jung-sik, chairman of the Democratic Party's Policy Committee, emphasized at the party's floor meeting that day, "We demand a clear statement regarding the public suspicion of collusion with a specific political party. We make it clear that this is not something to be swept under the rug. If the Shincheonji side does not cooperate, the government should promptly proceed with forced measures using administrative power."

Meanwhile, Shincheonji explained, "We received it from an elder five years ago, but we do not know whether it is genuine or fake," and added, "There was no political intention."

Lee Man-hee, the president of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji), is holding a press conference on the COVID-19 situation on the 2nd at the Shincheonji Palace of Peace in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do. The watch from the Blue House engraved with the name of former President Park Geun-hye on Lee's wrist draws attention. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@