Park Ji-won "Close to Han Deok-su... Spouse's Shamanism Revelation is for National Salvation"

"Han Acting President Must Appoint Constitutional Court Justice"

Park Ji-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, revealed that he had many concerns before exposing that Han Deok-su, the Acting President and Prime Minister, has a spouse who is a shamanism expert, but he decided to report it according to his conscience.

On the 26th, Park said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "Han's wife and my wife have known each other well for a long time, and Han and I are also friends," adding, "I had a very human dilemma, but from the perspective of saving the country, I boldly made a social accusation."

Park Ji-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is questioning at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit held on the morning of the 17th at the Daejeon High Court in Seo-gu, Daejeon. Photo by Yonhap News

He continued, "Han's wife is an artist, a major figure in the art world," and said, "She is deeply immersed in shamanism, and Han cannot say a word against her. Because Han's spouse has close ties with Kim Geon-hee, and Choi Eun-soon, the mother-in-law of President Yoon, I am concerned that Han is also under the influence of shamanism, so I exposed this to urge him to break away."

Park also explained that the decision to expose was influenced by the appointment of constitutional court justices. Amid ongoing disputes between the ruling and opposition parties over the appointment of constitutional court justices recommended by the National Assembly, there is a possibility that Han might refuse to appoint them. Therefore, Park raised the shamanism issue as a means to pressure Han.

The Democratic Party plans to put the appointment consent bill for three constitutional court justice candidates to a vote in the plenary session on the same day. The party has stated that if Han does not appoint the justices by the morning of the 27th, they will immediately proceed with impeachment.

Park said, "As the chairman of the personnel hearing committee, I saw that all three candidates for constitutional court justices are excellent. Han must appoint such people," adding, "The Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court have also issued legal interpretations that the acting president can make appointments. In the past, Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn also made appointments."

He said, "The appointments have been legally passed by the National Assembly, so Han should not make absurd excuses like 'come with bipartisan agreement.' Han Deok-su must appoint the three justices today or tomorrow. Although it pains me to use such pressure tactics, I made these harsh remarks."