Yoon Suk Yeol, then-presidential candidate for the People Power Party, is seen with the Chinese character "王" (King) drawn on the center of his palm, during a televised debate on Oct. 1, 2021. This sparked controversy over his alleged ties to shamanism. Captured from MBN News
The revelations surrounding President Yoon Suk Yeol's close inner circle and their alleged connections to shamanistic practices are both unsettling and deeply troubling.
As more behind-the-scenes details emerge about Yoon and his confidants' secret efforts to push for a martial law declaration, it has been revealed that several key figures involved in the planning are connected to practices rooted in fortunetelling, superstition, and mysticism — shocking many people.
One such figure is Noh Sang-won, a former commander of the Defense Intelligence Command and, according to reports, a key figure in the Dec. 3 martial law plot.
Following his dishonorable discharge from the military back in 2018 for sexually harassing a female officer, Noh reportedly became involved in activities related to divination and shamanism. While it remains unclear whether he underwent the process of "shinerim” or spiritual calling (a shamanistic ritual) to become a traditional shaman himself, Noh jointly established a fortunetelling business with another shaman.
The entrance of retired Army Maj. Gen. Noh Sang-won's residence in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, Dec. 22, displays various items presumed to be used for shamanic rituals, such as persimmons, dried fish, flowers and boxes of various fruits. Yonhap
In mid-December, during a police search of the fortunetelling business operated by Noh in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, they also discovered a handwritten notebook containing about 60 pages of materials related to the failed martial law plans. The notebook included phrases such as "National Assembly blockade" and listed names of many individuals — politicians, journalists, religious leaders, labor union members and even judges.
Noh Sang-won, left, and a shaman from whom Noh allegedly often sought guidance / Yonhap, captured from YouTube
Despite Noh already running his own divination business, he frequently traveled some 170 kilometers to visit another shaman to seek guidance about his own fate and whether "the plan" he was preparing with others would succeed.
"Noh Sang-won is very skilled in reading fortunes himself, but he often came to see me because I am a shaman who has received a spiritual calling," the female shaman said in a recent media interview.
According to her, Noh visited her place more than 30 times from February 2022 to January 2024.
Noh once showed her the picture of former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, another key figure in the martial law debacle, and asked: "I'm trying to create something with him. Do you think this person will not betray me if I stay with him until the end?"
Jeon Seong-bae, center, a Buddhist monk and shaman, is surrounded by reporters and police officers as he is taken to the Seoul Southern District Court on Dec. 19, over his alleged acceptance of illegal political funds. Yonhap
These disclosures also bring to light suspicions that had surfaced even before Yoon became president — that he and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, were heavily reliant on fortunetellers and shamanistic rituals.
Jeon Seong-bae, a self-proclaimed Buddhist monk and shaman, is another shamanistic figure. Jeon, better known as Geon Jin, was involved in Yoon's presidential campaign during the 2022 election. He also previously served as an adviser at Covana Contents, an arts company run by the first lady.
According to various media reports, Jeon has known Yoon since he was prosecutor general, with the first lady introducing him. Jeon reportedly told his close associates that he helped Yoon make the final decision to run for president and took on the role of mentor.
"Whenever Yoon needs to make a decision or resolve an issue, he asks for my advice, and I provide him with the answer," Jeon reportedly said to his friends.
Before joining Yoon's presidential campaign, Jeon established a temple in a private residence in southern Seoul, where he conducted shamanic rituals, including fortunetelling and other ceremonies. He also held various external roles, such as secretary general of the Ilgwang Jogye Order, a group unrelated to the mainstream Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Despite his claims of being a Buddhist monk, his practices are said to be highly superstitious and diverge significantly from traditional Buddhist teachings.
His presence became widely known to the public after he was charged by prosecutors in mid-December for allegedly having received illegal political funds in 2018. The prosecution is investigating whether he received the money as a bribe, while Jeon said the money was given as "prayer fees."
Shaman Cheon Gong / Captured from Cheon Gong's YouTube channel
Shaman Cheon Gong also claims to have advised Yoon to run for the presidential race.
During the then-opposition People Power Party's presidential primary debate back in October 2021, Yoon, then a candidate, admitted to having met Cheon Gong when asked if he knew him.
Later in the same month, Cheon Gong stated during an interview with YTN that Kim Keon Hee contacted him first and they met. He said Yoon also came to the meeting and that's how they became acquainted.
He added that he met the couple a few times but noted that they do not meet often anymore. Yet, he claimed that he directly advised Yoon about his decisions regarding resigning from the post of prosecutor general and joining the presidential race.
Cheon Gong regularly uploads his lectures on YouTube, and the content of these lectures sometimes aligns with the actions of the Yoon administration, fueling suspicions that he might still wield some influence.
First lady Kim Keon Hee listens to President Yoon Suk Yeol's speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Sept. 21, 2023. Newsis
According to various media reports, the first lady has long been deeply immersed in divination and fortunetelling practices.
The most recent report by a local media outlet about her superstitious beliefs was related to the controversy of her acceptance of a luxury Dior bag from a pastor. According to the report, the first lady sent a message to a well-known psychic in December 2023 and asked, "Am I going to prison?"
Political broker Myung Tae-kyun, who has sparked significant controversy surrounding the presidential couple in the latter half of this year, once described the relationship between Yoon and Kim as "a 5-year-old blind warrior carrying a crippled shaman (referring to Kim) on his shoulders." The remark left listeners questioning the true meaning behind the phrase "crippled shaman."
While personal reasons may underlie their fixation on fortunetelling, shamanism and divination, their dependence on such practices exceeds what is typical, raising concerns.
"It's common for major politicians, especially presidential candidates, to engage in some superstitious practices. However, in the case of Yoon and Kim, the extent was unusually extreme," a political commentator, on the condition of anonymity, told The Korea Times. "Lacking prior political experience and suddenly ascending to the presidency appears to have driven them to overly focus on predicting the future, intensifying their reliance on superstition."