Leader’s Secretive Adviser,” The New York Times, November 5, 2016,
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/world/asia/south-koreans-ashamed-
over-les-secretive-adviser.html.
“It’s unbelievable”: Korean lawyer, interview by the author, November 14, 2016.
prosecutors detained Choi: Choe Sang-Hun, “Choi Soon-sil, at Center of Political
Scandal in South Korea, Is Jailed,” The New York Times, October 31, 2016,
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/01/world/asia/south-korea-park-geun-hye-
choi-soon-sil.html.
“It is hard to forgive myself”: Ju-min Park and Tony Munroe, “South Korea’s Park
Says ‘Hard to Forgive Myself’ for Political Crisis,” Reuters, November 3,
2016, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-politics-
idUSKBN12Z05N.
On November 8 prosecutors raided: “Prosecutors Raid Samsung’s Headquarters,
Grill Exec over Scandal,” Yonhap News Agency, November 8, 2016,
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20161108001354315.
Two weeks later, prosecutors descended: Song Jung-a, “South Korean Prosecutors
Make New Raids over Political Scandal,” Financial Times, December 21,
2016, https://www.ft.com/content/b2986b0a-c744-11e6-8f29-9445cac8966f.
“We got phone calls from people”: National Pension Service staffer, WhatsApp
message to the author, April 28, 2017.
The head of the pension service’s: “Ex–Health Minister Sentenced to 2.5-Year Jail
Term in Corruption Scandal,” Yonhap News Agency, June 8, 2017,
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20170608007251315.
“The fact that a Health Ministry official”: Michael Katz, “Former Korean Minister
Found Guilty of Pressuring Pension,” Chief Investment Officer, June 12,
2017, https://www.ai-cio.com/news/former-korean-minister-found-guilty-
pressuring-pension/.
“Jay Lee?”: Analyst at Wall Street investment house, meeting with the author,
December 22, 2016.
“Are you indeed an accomplice?”: SBS News, “[SBS LIVE] Park Geun-hye—Choi
Soon-sil Gate Live Broadcast,” SBS, December 5, 2016,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=gkhXFaPbNSk. The
conversation beginning with “Are you indeed an accomplice?” plays at
1:20:57. The quote “Jay Y. Lee seems like he has memory problems” plays at
5:05:07. Jay Lee says “I don’t know” and “I don’t remember” many times
throughout the hearing. A full transcript of these proceedings is in National
Assembly of the Republic of Korea, “Notes from Special Investigative
Committee for Private Persons’ Interference in Park Geun-hye
Administration,” December 6, 2016. Document is in the author’s possession.
This source is in Korean. The author’s researcher translated the headline and
text into English.