A second Kim Keon-hee? South Korea’s presidential race marred by superstition allegations
Conservative front runner Han Duck-soo has denied claims his wife, described as a ‘mother of superstition’, is deeply involved in shamanism
South Korea’s presidential race has been shaken by allegations that the wife of conservative front runner and former acting president Han Duck-soo is deeply involved in superstitious practices – claims Han has strongly denied.
The controversy has drawn comparisons to past accusations against former first lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of impeached president Yoon Suk-yeol, whose alleged ties to shamanistic beliefs sparked public backlash amid concerns that spiritual advisers might be influencing key state decisions.
The latest claims were made by Park Jie-won, a veteran lawmaker from the progressive Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). In a bombshell statement he made on a radio news show on April 15, Park described Han’s wife, Choi Ah-young, as a “mother of superstition”.
While criticising Han as “indecisive, timid, and politically untrained”, Park alleged that both Choi and Kim had achieved a “considerable level of shamanism” and were “highly ambitious politically”.
“When it comes to shamanism, however, Han’s wife is not merely a second Kim Keon-hee – she is her mother in superstition, metaphorically speaking,” Park said during multiple radio interviews and YouTube appearances.
He claimed personal familiarity with the Han couple, citing his past role as head of the late president Kim Dae-jung’s secretariat while Han served as an economic aide there.
Park later led the National Intelligence Service under liberal president Moon Jae-in.
When confronted with the allegations at a press briefing on Tuesday, Han broke his usual composure, angrily denying the claims and demanding a public apology.
“I was very disappointed that someone who once served as head of the National Intelligence Service could make such a blatant and shameless lie,” Han said.
“I even considered filing charges against him,” he added, jabbing the air with his finger. “I demand that Mr Park retract that statement.”
In response, the DPK filed a police complaint against Han on Thursday, accusing him of making false statements and defaming Park.
“Reports about Mr Han’s wife’s involvement in shamanism are widely available online,” the party said in a statement.
One such example comes from a 2012 column in Maekyung Weekly, in which a fortune-teller claimed to have had meals with the Han couple and praised Choi’s skill in dream interpretation.
He said she once had a prophetic dream just before Han was appointed prime minister in 2007.
In the dream, she wandered through a dark maze, saw light seeping through a manhole, and forced it open to escape – symbolising Han’s rise, the columnist suggested.
Adding fuel to the fire, broadcaster JTBC aired a 2022 audio recording in which Choi herself spoke openly about her knowledge of myeongrihak – a Korean system of fortune-telling based on one’s birth year, month, day and hour.
“I became known for being well-versed in myeongrihak. People even studied it with me,” she said. “People who understand the Four Pillars [birth year, month, date and hour] never struggle to help their husbands succeed – because if it’s not in their fate, it just won’t happen.”
Speaking in a mocking tone about her husband, she said, “He’s funny. He just hasn’t studied myeongrihak. If he had, he’d understand that people live according to their fate.”
She even advised reporters to study the Four Pillars, saying it would bring them peace of mind.
These remarks contradict Han’s earlier statement that his wife had only a cursory interest in fortune-telling, occasionally glancing at horoscopes or tojeong bigyeol – a traditional Korean divination system – in newspapers for fun.
Park Hyung-tack, head of the Korea Christian Heresy Research Institute, noted that many South Korean politicians, officials, and their spouses consulted shamans or fortune-tellers, especially during election season or when seeking promotion.
“South Korea is a developed country, but many professionals still conduct superstitious practices, preying on those anxious about their future,” he told This Week in Asia.
Professor Lee Jun-han, a political scientist at Incheon National University, said the allegations were likely to hurt Han, an independent candidate vying for the conservatives’ nomination against People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo.
“Politicians must be careful not to let practitioners of folk beliefs influence their decisions,” he warned.
Allegations against former first lady Kim, who was accused of consulting shamans and fortune-tellers on major state matters – including the relocation of the presidential office – had sparked public concern about spiritual influence over government decision-making. The controversy was compounded by claims that unofficial advisers close to her received preferential access to power, echoing scandals from past administrations and contributing to the broader erosion of public trust in Yoon’s leadership.
Lee cited the recent arrest of a former military intelligence commander who ran a fortune-telling business and was implicated in Yoon’s short-lived December 3 martial law decree plan.
Meanwhile, Kim Moon-soo has accused the PPP leadership – dominated by Yoon loyalists – of plotting to undermine his candidacy in collusion with Han, who critics claim is being supported by Yoon. Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who lost the PPP nomination, joined in the criticism, accusing Yoon on Wednesday of “ruining the party after ruining the country” and suggesting Han might pardon Yoon if elected.
Kim Moon-soo on Thursday dug his heels in, declaring in effect that he would not succumb to pressure from the PPP leadership to give up his candidacy in favour of Han.
An opinion poll published Wednesday showed DPK candidate Lee Jae-myung enjoy a comfortable lead over both Han and Kim, no matter who wins the final conservative ticket for a three-way race including a splinter opposition candidate, Lee Jun-seok.
