"Crazy, How Long Have You Lived?" Apology from Candidate Park Jun-young over Wife's Pottery Smuggling Allegations

The wife of Park Jun-young, the nominee for Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, posted a photo of pottery on the Instagram account of the cafe she runs.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Controversy arose after allegations that the wife of Park Jun-young, nominee for Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, smuggled high-priced ceramics from the United Kingdom, and in response, Park apologized again.

According to a TV Chosun report on the 30th of last month, Park's wife, Ms. A, brought in luxury decorative items worth at least tens of millions of won, claiming them as personal belongings when her husband returned after serving as a diplomat at the South Korean Embassy in the UK, and sold them without permission. Ms. A declared the items as collectibles rather than for sale upon return, thus avoiding customs duties and VAT.

Ms. A started operating a cafe in Gyeonggi Province around December 2019, where she sold high-end tableware and ceramic decorations imported from the UK without obtaining wholesale and retail business permits.

She also promoted the imported items herself. On social media (SNS), she posted photos of ceramics with captions such as "Am I crazy? How much did I buy? My soul left while washing," and "After bathing, you shine but I break out in cold sweat." In October last year, she posted a photo of unpacking decorative items from a box with the caption "Today is box opening day."

In response, Kim Seon-gyo, a member of the People Power Party, pointed out, "The ceramic products were stored in boxes for a long time and opened when they could be sold. Wasn't it intended for sale from the beginning?" The opposition also criticized, saying, "It is inappropriate to evade customs duties and then sell without a permit."

Park Jun-young, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Nominee Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Park's side stated in a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries press release, "The items purchased by the wife in the UK were used as home decorations or for household life," adding, "There was no intention to sell at the time, and the items were used goods not highly valued." They also explained, "When brought into the country, they were included in the moving goods list and went through normal customs procedures."

They further explained, "However, when the wife opened a cafe in December 2019, to differentiate from other stores, she displayed items from home in the store and sold some without realizing it was illegal," and added, "We will actively review and take measures regarding customs evasion and business registration issues."

They continued, "We sincerely apologize for the unfortunate allegations caused by thoughtless behavior," and said, "We will actively investigate the raised suspicions regarding customs evasion and business registration issues and take necessary actions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.