Jeong Yura "Stress from people saying Cho Kuk's daughter is pitiful... Mother Choi Soon-sil fined 20 billion won"

6 Years After the 'Gukjeong Nongdan Scandal'
"Not Being Witch-Hunted Over the Same Degree Issue"

Jung Yura, daughter of Choi Seowon (formerly Choi Soon-sil). / Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Jung Yura, daughter of Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), who is imprisoned for the Park Geun-hye administration's 'state manipulation' scandal, appeared for the first time in six years.

On the 26th, appearing on the YouTube channel 'Seong Je-jun TV,' she said, "I have lived similarly for six years," and expressed her suffering, saying, "Reporters have constantly sought me out, and I am still suffering from false information. I have been living the same way without any social or economic activities."

She explained the reason for appearing in front of the camera after having no official stance for a long time, mentioning the daughter of former Minister Cho Kuk, emphasizing, "The fact that people say Cho Kuk's daughter is pitiful itself is stressful."

She continued, "Before, my mother or former President Park Geun-hye were inside, and there were many people having a harder time than me, so I couldn't say anything," adding, "Now there are controversies about other people's degrees. Even though it's the same degree issue, they don't get witch-hunted like me with their faces exposed. I also have children, so I came out to prepare."

Jung said, "What Democratic Party members say the most is that Cho Kuk's daughter’s human rights were destroyed," and claimed, "The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which received the National Tax Service's complaint, conducted a search of my hospital room the day after I gave birth. If this happened to Cho Min, would she stay still? Absolutely not."

She also stated, "I had surgery and was wearing only a gown, but they said, 'Send the baby to the neonatal room and then talk.' This is the human rights that Democratic Party members have overlooked for six years and my life for six years."

Furthermore, she said, "Cho Kuk's daughter has people who support her and parents who can say it's hard, but my entire family was butchered; my mother is inside, and my father is far away," and showed tears, saying, "I have endured alone for six years with my child, with all my might."

Jung Yura is appearing on a YouTube channel and giving an interview. Photo by YouTube 'Seong Jejun TV' capture

She also spoke about President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, who led the investigation into the state manipulation scandal, saying, "I have no personal grudge. Who could have said at that time, 'This doesn't seem like a problem to go this far'?"

When asked about the 'Jung Kyung-shim professor's admission fraud case,' she replied, "I am not at all pleased. In fact, I think it's right to say this shouldn't have happened. As a human being, I don't want to be the same person. I don't want to say things like 'serves them right' or 'it's natural' like they did."

Regarding the academic controversy related to insufficient attendance days, she said, "Although this is a practice in the sports world, legally, degree cancellation due to insufficient attendance is correct. I have no intention of denying the wrongdoing itself." She added, "I thought I was wrong, so I voluntarily withdrew from Ewha Womans University."

Regarding claims by some, including Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok, that there are trillions of won in slush funds in Germany, she said, "There is not a single penny. My mother has a fine of 20 billion won. So all my mother's assets have been seized. She has paid over 6 billion won in fines, and there is no property except for the house."

On claims that she is not on good terms with her mother Choi, she said, "I visit about four times a month," adding, "We were a close mother and daughter. There was a rift when I had my first baby. But if you want to say we were that bad, then what did my mother do for me with Samsung? Doesn't that contradict itself?"

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