[Initial Perspective] There Is Clearly Someone Who Must Answer

Just a few weeks ago, the political world was thrown into turmoil because of 'October 26.' It was due to a mysterious phone call claiming that the sitting president would pass away on that day, as told by a shaman. Perhaps because of the incident during the campaign when a candidate wrote the character '왕 (King)' on his palm and appeared on a TV debate, this prank call attracted a lot of attention. Coincidentally, former President Park Chung-hee passed away on that very day, which might explain the heightened interest.

Another figure: former President Roh Tae-woo, an 'ordinary person,' also passed away on October 26. This year marks the third anniversary of his death. Standing at the pinnacle of power is only temporary; everyone eventually fades into the shadows of history. However, the history they left behind has yet to conclude. Triggered by the divorce lawsuit between SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Art Center Nabi Director Noh So-young, hidden slush funds of the Roh family have been emerging like a bottomless treasure chest.

Mrs. Kim Ok-sook, the wife of former President Roh, kept a meticulous memo recording cash amounting to '90.4 billion won,' an amount ordinary people could hardly ever handle. This memo, dormant for decades, surfaced as evidence in her daughter Noh's divorce lawsuit, leading to a court ruling that awarded a division of assets worth 1.3808 trillion won from Chairman Chey.

Mrs. Kim also donated a total of 14.7 billion won to the East Asia Culture Center, where her son Noh Jae-heon has served as chairman from 2016 to 2021. In 2023, she contributed 500 million won to establish the 'Era of Ordinary People Roh Tae-woo Center.' Recently, suspicions arose that she had taken out insurance policies worth 21 billion won under a false name. Given that Mrs. Kim has been a full-time housewife with no economic activity throughout her life, it is beyond the imagination of ordinary people to connect her with over 100 billion won. Someone needs to provide answers.

Former President Roh, who seized power through the '12.12 Military Coup'?reexamined through the film 'Spring in Seoul,' which attracted 13 million viewers?is estimated to have amassed slush funds amounting to a staggering 460 billion won. Of this, 268.2 billion won was confiscated, but the remaining amount could not be recovered due to the inability to trace the flow of funds.

Director Noh publicly revealed her father's hidden slush fund memo in court for the first time. Had the funds been voluntarily reported during the confiscation process, an investigation would have been conducted, and the money would have reverted to the national treasury. Even if the memo's existence was unknown at the time, its disclosure in court to increase the division of assets cannot serve as an exoneration.

During the divorce proceedings, many expressed support and sympathy for Director Noh. They empathized with the mother who tried to protect her family while enduring severe mental anguish from the breakdown of her marriage, caring for her children, and battling cancer herself. She even expressed her thoughts, saying, "Although the lost time and family cannot be restored, I hope this case can serve as an opportunity to uphold the value of family and social justice," and "I will devote myself to this matter with all my efforts in the remaining years of my life."

Upholding social justice is not far off. Appearing as a witness at the National Assembly audit, acknowledging her father's slush funds, and declaring their recovery or social restitution would be a more honorable stance ahead of the final divorce ruling. If she reveals the slush funds in court based on personal benefit but ignores testimony at the audit, she has no right to speak of social justice.