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President's prescriptions come under investigation
By Kim Se-jeong
The prosecution said Tuesday that it will look into why President Park Geun-hye used proxy names when she visited a private anti-aging clinic in southern Seoul.
The investigation comes after health authorities filed a complaint against Kim Sang-man, a doctor who worked at the Chaum clinic for suspicious prescriptions of vitamin shots.
Park is suspected of having her medicine from Chaum prescribed in the name of her confidant Choi Soon-sil from 2011 to 2014. Choi and her family members were regulars at the clinic since 2010.
Kim was appointed as one of the President's medical advisors in 2013. He left Chaum in 2014 and has worked for Green Cross I-Med since then.
Cheong Wa Dae allegedly purchased about 300 placenta injections and vitamin shots worth 20 million won made or imported by Green Cross between March 2014 and August this year, according to Rep. Kim Sang-hee of the Democratic Party of Korea.
It is not known yet why the presidential office purchased the shots and for whom. But the medical community is raising questions about the effects of those shots and the large quantity ordered.
"These are way too many. I am curious if they had a proper prescription, which is required for these shots," said Kim Kyung-soo, a doctor from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital.
In the meantime, the prosecution is busy amassing evidence to add bribery charges against Choi and the President. Prosecutors earlier indicted Choi for abuse of power, extortion and attempted coercion.
Park allegedly helped Choi's acquaintance win a contract to supply auto parts to Hyundai Motor Group. In return, Choi allegedly received 40 million won ($34,000) in cash and a Chanel bag worth almost 10 million won from the acquaintance.
Park allegedly pressured conglomerates to provide 77.4 billion won to the Mir and K-Sports foundations controlled by Choi. Prosecutors are looking into whether she gave business favors to the companies in return. An Chong-bum, Park's former secretary, told prosecutors that Park gave the orders about the "fundraising."
With Lotte Group, Park allegedly asked for an additional 7.5 billion won for the K-Sports Foundation during a private meeting with Chairman Shin Dong-bin, for whom the prosecution was planning an investigation for a separate corruption scandal in March. The money was sent but returned in June immediately before the investigation started.
Samsung also allegedly gave Choi 3.5 billion won by sponsoring her dressage competitor daughter, Chung Yoo-ra. In return, the prosecution suspects that Samsung gained business favors such as in the merger of Samsung C&T with Cheil Industries (also a Samsung affiliate).
Meanwhile, the prosecution raided Ewha Womans University, confiscating documents and files related to fraud in the admission and grading of Chung. Some 20 locations, including former school President Choi Kyung-hee's home, were searched.
Earlier the Ministry of Education found in a special audit that the school gave special treatment to Chung.
