In South Korea, Chinese character on presidential hopeful’s palm creates stir over superstitions as race heats up
- Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party raised eyebrows after appearing on TV with the Chinese character for “king” on his left palm
- Fortune-telling and believing in superstitions remain part of South Korean culture though an analyst says voters don’t want to see this in politics
Former prosecutor general Yoon Suk-yeol, the front runner from the People Power Party (PPP), created a stir when the Chinese character wang, meaning “king”, was seen inscribed on his left palm as he gestured during a series of televised debates with rival potential candidates from the same party.
This sort of inscription is done on the advice of some shamans and elders in the country, usually for students sitting exams or those going for job interviews, for courage and to assist with elocution.
The episode made good fodder for attacks from President Moon Jae-in’s ruling Democratic Party as well as rivals within the PPP, who heaped ridicule on Yoon.
Yoon’s top rival, party mate Hong Joon-pyo, accused him of relying on shamanism to win the debates, and referenced the doctoral degree that Yoon’s wife Kim Keon-hee garnered by presenting a paper focused on fortune telling.
Hong also pointed to news reports that Yoon, 60, was accompanied by a fortune-teller using the I Ching, the Chinese Book of Changes that influenced Confucianism and Taoism, while meeting with political veteran Kim Chong-in to seek on his future courses of political action.