Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), who was called Park Geun-hye's "shadow power," has lost her older sister, Choi Soon-deuk.
According to Soonchunhyang University Hospital and others on the 24th, Choi died at 74 on the 22nd. The funeral procession was held that afternoon, followed by cremation. The cause of death was reported as acute pneumonia.
Choi is the daughter of the late Choi Tae-min, who was known to have had a significant influence on Park Geun-hye. She was also Park's classmate (8th graduating class) at Sookmyung Girls' High School.
Choi was questioned by prosecutors as a reference witness during the state affairs meddling scandal after it became known that Park had proxy prescriptions for injections issued under Choi's and Choi Seo-won's names.
Choi's daughter is Jang Si-ho. Jang was also arrested and indicted on charges including coercion in connection with operating the Winter Sports Talent Center. In the first trial in 2017, she was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, but after the Supreme Court found her not guilty of coercion, her final sentence was reduced to one year and five months.