(Korean History) 'Koreagate' and Asian Gatsby 'Park Tongsun'

 (Korean History) Koreagate and Asian Gatsby Park Tongsun / (한국역사 in ENG) 코리아게이트 & 박동선 https://youtu.be/ex8V6MwDk64

ㅇhe was born in Suncheon, South Pyeongan Province in 1935. 

when Park Tongsun left Korea for the US. in the late 1950s to attend Georgetown University. He leveraged that privilege to his gain. He threw elaborate parties and soon, he was president of his freshman class. So the party he had held led to popularity. Popularity led to influence. 

The club founded by Park even hosted the wedding rehearsal dinner of Luci Johnson, the daughter of then U.S President Lyndon B. Johnson. By the 1970s, Park Tongsun's opulence - "expensive homes, lavish parties, worldwide jet travel and purchase of his own downtown office building" - made him a Washington celebrity. 

With both money and mystery, Park Tongsun became known as the District's Asian Gatsby. As in D.C., Park Tongsun made friends with the nation's most powerful including those in President Park Chunghee's administration and those involved with the Korean Central Intelligence Agency(KCIA). 

In 1965, a year before he founded his club, Park Tongsun offered to work with the KCIA. saying he'd use his congressional connections to help South Korean interests. if they'd help him become "the sole agent" for South Korean rice purchases from the U.S. 

Then in 1976, Park Tongsun was charged with bribing members of the U.S. Congress, using money from the South Korean government, in a successful effort to convince the U.S. government to keep U.S. troops in South Korea. 

"Koreagate" was an American political scandal in 1976 involving South Korean political figures seeking influence from 10 Democratic members of Congress. 

1976년 10월 24일 [워싱턴포스트]지는 박정희 대통령으로부터 직접 지시를 받은 워싱턴 거주 한국인 실업가와 공작원이 미국 의회의원들과 정부 관리들에게 매년 50만 달러 내지 100만 달러를 현금이나 선물 혹은 정치자금으로 제공했다고 폭로했다. 11월부터 미 의회 조사에 의해 '백설작전'이 드러나고 미국언론들은 닉슨 정권하에 불법도청 사건이었던 '워터게이트'에 빗대어 코리아게이트라고 이름 붙였다. 

Park Tongsun fled the U.S. before the scandal broke out and went to S. Korea. The South Korean government refused to send him back asking for immunity form the U.S. government. 

Immunity was refused and Park Tongsun remained in Korea. (But) he avoided a federal trial by testifying to the court in exchange for immunity in 1978. 

His testimony did not have a major impact, Though it led to three members of Congress getting reprimanded. 

And may have convinced Speaker of the House Carl Albert not to seek re-election. In the end, two members of Congress were charged with crimes. Animosity between the two country was further aggravated by mutual mis perceptions and procedural disagreements. But the scandal did not result in any lasting damage to U.S. and South Korean relations.

He was granted full immunity for his testimony. Most Americans today have forgotten about Koreagate.