Koreagate

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Koreagate was an American political scandal in 1976 involving South Korean political elites seeking influence from members of Congress. An immediate goal of the scandal seems to have been reversing President Richard Nixon's decision to withdraw troops. It involved the KCIA (now the National Intelligence Service) allegedly funneling bribes and favors through Korean businessman Tongsun Park in an attempt to gain favor and influence for South Korean objectives. Some 115 members of Congress were supposedly involved. Speculation also focused on the role of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, former KCIA Director Kim Hyung Wook, and former Prime Minister Chung Il Kwon[1].

Contents

[edit] Parties involved

Tongsun Park and Richard Hanna were two of the main actors involved in the Koreagate scandal[2]. Tongsun Park represented the Korean side of the secret agreement, while Richard Hanna compromised much of the American side of the deal. According to the agreement, both parties would share the commissions from American rice sales to South Korea and to use them to obtain favorable decisions for Seoul in the United States Congress[3].Further discussing the deal, Hanna was also responsible for providing Chung Il Kwon and Park with effective lobbying techniques, and did so by telling the tandem to emulate previous successful models set by Taiwan and Israel[4]. Park was also responsible for providing extra financial incentives to Hanna and other members of Congress, which was easily completed due to the reaping of large rice sale commissions[5]. Such financial incentives reportedly ranged from a member receiving between US$100,000 and $200,000 at a time[6].

[edit] Objectives

The reasons behind the scandal involved political, social, and financial notions. Korean leaders, including Tongsun Park and President Park were angered with Nixon's decision to withdraw soldiers from South Korea and felt it was urgent to build support for preserving the remaining United States military presence[7]. The Park government was also concerned with the approval of a substantial package of assitance for South Korea's military modernization programs[8]. Another reason behind the scandal was to repress or counter increasing criticism of Park's illegitimate policies and human rights violations.[9] According to many, the deceit of Park's objectives would ultimately lead to his downfall[10].

[edit] Consequences

The United States Department of State recognized the illegal aspects of Park's action in 1970 and informed the Korean embassy in Washington that such activities were a liability and poison[11]. Former United States Ambassador to Seoul, William Porter tried to persuade President Park and Chung Il Kwon that Tongsun Park should have to return to South Korea, but to no avail[12]. Later, William Porter described the United States response as "greatly pessimistic" because the United States government did not want to denounce South Korea when it was assisting war efforts in Vietnam[13]. Following the replacement of William Porter by Philip Habib as ambassador to South Korea, was an increase in pursuing punishment for Tongsun Park for his unethical activities[14]. Habib attempted to force Park to register as a lobbyist for the South Korean government, but was unsuccessful. In response to his failure, Habib instructed all embassy personnel in South Korea to cut ties with Park and warned several visiting congressmen about his illegal operations, only to be crossed by former Attorney General William Saxby who warned Park of these actions and his potential prosecution[15]. Shortly after Porter and Habib's attempts to condemn Tongsun Park's actions, Habib accepted another job opportunity which forced him to work abroad for three years,[16] which once again would put Park's fate on moratorium.

[edit] Diplomatic relations

Political relations between the United States and South Korea after the realization of Koreagate were shaky at best. Animosity between the United States and South Korea was further aggravated by mutual misperceptions and procedural disagreements[17]. The United States adopted a legalistic platform and expected South Korea to cooperate with any pending investigations[18]. From the other perspective, South Korean officials believed the story was a hyperbolic spin concocted by American journalists[19]. Furthermore, South Korea felt these notions were incorporated as an anti-Park conspiracy[20]. Political experts on both sides also came to conclusions that the scandal was being framed in this manner to aid Gerald Ford's election strategy. According to this interpretation, the Ford administration intended to neutralize the the Democratic Party's exploitation of Watergate and Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon as issues by linking key Democratic congressmen to the Koreagate operations[21].

[edit] Results

Despite a chronic extradition disagreement among the United States and South Korea, Tongsun Park ultimately came to the United States in April of 1978 to testify publicly in a House hearing[22]. During the testimony, Park admitted to dispersing cash to thirty members of Congress[23]. In the end, only ten members of Congress were seriously implicated, which most decided to resign, the statute of limitations expired for three, and Park was granted full immunity for his testimony[24]. Congressional members Edward Roybal, Charles Wilson and John McFall were censured and reprimanded[25]. While on the other hand, congressmen Edward Patten was found not guilty, and Otto Passman was not prosecuted due to illness[26]. The honorable Richard Hanna was convicted and sentenced to six to thirty months in prison[27]. For an American political scandal many political scientists and experts feel as though the results of Koreagate were lenient and feeble. This analysis proved to be accurate when in 2005 Park was accused of acting as an intermediary with corrupt United Nations officials in the oil-for-food conspiracy orchestrated by Saddam Hussein[28]. Ultimately, Park was represented by the renowned Patton-Boggs law firm, showing a latent conflict of interest as Tommy Boggs was a close friend of Park's at Georgetown University[29].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Boettcher, Robert B. (1980). Gifts of Deceit
  2. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongsun_Park
  3. ^ Chae.J.Lee dynamics of adjustment Pg 95
  4. ^ Lee koreagate investigations Pg 95
  5. ^ Koreagate on Capitol Hill Time, Pg 2
  6. ^ R.Boettcher Gifts of Deceit
  7. ^ C.Lee political notions of scandal Pg 96
  8. ^ C.Lee financial notions of scandal Pg 96
  9. ^ C.Lee Social Notions of Scandal Pg 96
  10. ^ Koreagate on Capitol Hill Time Pg 3
  11. ^ Lee A Troubled Peace reactions to actions Pg 97
  12. ^ Lee Porter's concern on ethics Pg 98
  13. ^ Purdum Government bias to withhold punishment Pg 2
  14. ^ Unethical description of behavior Time Pg 3
  15. ^ Lee A Troubled Peace Pg 99
  16. ^ Lee Consequences on hold Pg 99
  17. ^ Lee Dynamics of Structural Adjustment Pg 99
  18. ^ Lee Koreagate Investigations Pg 99
  19. ^ Lee Diplomatic Sparring Pg 99
  20. ^ Lee Diplomatic Sparring Pg 99
  21. ^ Lee Diplomatic Sparring Pg 100
  22. ^ Dobbs on Koreagate Pg 1
  23. ^ Dobbs on Koreagate Pg 1
  24. ^ Dobbs on Koreagate Pg 1
  25. ^ Dobbs Congressional Bad Boys Pg 1
  26. ^ Dobbs on Koreagate Pg 1
  27. ^ Dobbs on Koreagate Pg 1
  28. ^ Dobbs Congressional Bad Boys Pg 1
  29. ^ Dobbs Congressional Bad Boys Pg 2

[edit] Bibliography

  • Boettcher, Robert B. (1980). Gifts of Deceit : Sun Myung Moon, Tongsun Park, and the Korean Scandal. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. ISBN 0030445760. 


  • Dobbs, Michael. "The Washington Post : Koreagate Figure Tied To Oil-For-Food Scandal", April 15, 2005. 


  • Jin-Lee, Chae. (2006). A Trouble Peace : U.S Policy And The Two Koreas. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-8330-X. 


  • Purdum, Todd S.. "The New York Times : Accusation Against Lobbyist Echo Charges in 70's Scandal", New York: The New York Times Company, April 15, 2005. 




  • Writer, Staff. "Time Magazine : Koreagate on Capitol Hill?", New York: Time in Partnership with CNN, Monday, November. 29, 1976. 

[edit] See also