Choi Soon-sil, the South Korean president’s friend who is accused of being behind a massive corruption scandal in the country has been ordered to appear before a parliamentary hearing.
She has been charged over allegations she colluded with President Park Geun-hye to gain influence and money for herself.
Park Geu-hye, who denies corruption, faces an impeachment hearing on December 9.
Amid ongoing street protests, Park Geun-hye has said she will resign once parliament finds a way for her to do so smoothly.
The parliamentary hearing in Seoul is questioning the heads of some of South Korea’s biggest companies, including Samsung, Hyundai, SK, Lotte and LG.
All the companies gave large donations to foundations run by Choi Soon-sil. They are being quizzed over whether the donations were used to gain them favorable treatment by the government.
Image source Wikimedia
All have denied improper activity, though suggested there had been pressure to make donations.
One of the corporate bosses acknowledged that it was difficult for companies to say no to government requests.
“It’s a South Korean reality that if there is a government request, it is difficult for companies to decline,” said Huh Chang-soo, head of the GS Group and chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries lobby group.
Choi Soon-sil, who is in police detention along with two other aides of Park Geun-hye, has so far refused to attend the hearing as a witness, citing ill health.
However, on December 7 she and several other key witnesses, including members of her family, were ordered to appear.
“This hearing is being criticized as a Choi Soon-sil trial without Choi Soon-sil,” said the committee chairman Kim Sung-tae, according to the AFP.
Kim Sung-tae said the panel would “undertake all measures” to make her and other witnesses appear, before sending security officers to collect the group.
They could face jail or fines if they refuse.
The extraordinary scenes are being broadcast live on TV. The panel has no power to punish but its chairman has said the hearing is a place for apologies.
President Park Geun-hye has apologized multiple times to the public for allowing Choi Soon-sil inappropriate access to government decisions but has stopped short of resigning.
Eight of South Korea’s biggest businesses, including Samsung and Hyundai, are being questioned by parliament in a rare TV hearing as part of a huge corruption inquiry.
The companies admitted giving millions of dollars to funds linked to President Park Geun-hye, but denied seeking favors.
Samsung admitted to giving the daughter of Park Geun-hye’s friend an expensive horse.
Parliament is due to vote on December 9 on the president’s impeachment over her involvement in the scandal.
Massive protests have been held in recent weeks demanding the president’s resignation.
The executives are being questioned by a cross-party committee of lawmakers. The panel has no power to punish but its chairman has said the hearing is a place for apology.
One of the corporate bosses acknowledged that it was difficult for companies to say no to government requests.
Image source Wikimedia
“It’s a South Korean reality that if there is a government request, it is difficult for companies to decline,” said Huh Chang-soo, head of the GS Group and chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries lobby group.
The conglomerates all gave large donations to non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a close confidante of Park Geun-hye.
Choi Soon-sil has been charged with coercion and attempted fraud.
Lawmakers spent the most time grilling Samsung’s Lee Kun-hee. Samsung has been accused of giving donations in exchange for support of a controversial merger that effectively strengthened his position in the company.
Samsung gave a total of 20.4 billion won ($17.46 million) to the two foundations.
Like the other leaders, Lee Kun-hee denied the allegations, saying Samsung “never provided support or gave donations in return for something”.
However, he admitted that his company provided a one billion won ($855,000) horse to Choi Soon-sil’s daughter, a professional equestrian, and said he regretted it.
Lee Kun-hee apologized for Samsung’s involvement in the scandal and said his company would “take all responsibility” if there was any.
South Korea’s family-owned conglomerates, known as chaebols, have increasingly been perceived as a symbol of the out-of-touch elite, and have become a target of public fury in recent protests calling for Park Geun-hye’s resignation.
The president has apologized multiple times to the public for allowing Choi Soon-sil inappropriate access to government decisions but has stopped short of resigning.
Last week Parke Geun-hye said she would leave it to parliament to decide her fate, and on December 6 she was quoted by her party’s leader as saying she would accept the outcome of December 9 impeachment vote.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has announced she has asked parliament to help her find a way to step down.
Park Geun-hye faced growing calls to resign amid an investigation into whether she allowed close friend Choi Soon-sil to influence political decisions for personal gain.
The president said she would “leave to parliament everything about my future including shortening of my term”, but did not want to leave a power vacuum.
Parliament was due to discuss on December 2 whether President Park Geun-hye should face impeachment.
Opposition parties have said Park Geun-hye should step down “honorably” before it reached that point.
Image source Wikimedia
Park Geun-hye has apologized twice on national TV before, and has said she is “heartbroken” by the political crisis around her, but has refused to resign.
In November 29 TV address, her third since reports of the scandal began, Park Geun-hye said she would resign “once lawmakers come up with measures to transfer power in a way that minimizes any power vacuum and chaos in governance”.
A spokesman for the opposition Democratic Party, Youn Kwan-suk, said the speech was a “trick” which “lacked reflection”.
“What people want is her immediate resignation, not dragging out and dodging the responsibility to the parliament,” he told the Yonhap news agency.
The scandal stems from Park Geun-hye’s relationship with Choi Soon-sil.
Choi Soon-sil is accused of trying to extort huge sums of money from South Korean companies.
She is also suspected of using her friendship with Park Geun-hye to solicit business donations for a non-profit fund she controlled.
Choi Soon-sil is in police detention, facing a string of charges.
The allegations have reached across South Korean politics and industry. Two of Park Geun-hye’s aides have also been charged along with a pop music producer.
The offices of the national pension fund have been raided as have several major Korean companies including Lotte and Samsung.
Investigators believe Park Geun-hye had a “considerable” role in the alleged corruption, but the president’s representatives have said the accusations are a “fantasy”.
In recent weeks, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans have joined huge street protests across the country demanding that Park Geun-hye leave office.
South Korea is seeing what is thought to be the largest protests so far demanding President Park Geun-hye steps down.
Park Geun-hye is accused of allowing her friend, Choi Soon-sil, to manipulate power from behind the scenes.
She has apologized twice on national TV, but has so far resisted calls to resign.
Image source Wikimedia
According to protest organizers, 1.3 million people had gathered Seoul on November 26, despite cold weather and snow.
They expect another half a million protesters to turn out in other regions.
However, police put the turnout at about 260,000. About 25,000 officers were being deployed in the capital, local media said.
The protests, which began five weeks ago, are the largest in South Korea since pro-democracy demonstrations of the 1980s.
Those attending on November 26 came from a cross-section of South Korean society, with farmers, Buddhist monks and university students all involved.
Park Geun-hye, whose approval rating has dropped to 5%, apologized earlier this month for putting “too much faith in a personal relationship”, and has pledged to co-operate in an official investigation into the scandal.
South Korea’s constitution does not allow a sitting president to be prosecuted, and Park Geun-hye has 15 months left in her term.
Now that prosecutors have directly linked Park Geun-hye to the scandal, it is possible she could be impeached for breaking the law.
Prosecutors are expected to bring charges against Choi Soon-sil, along with two former presidential aides. She was arrested earlier this month.
Choi Soon-sil is accused of trying to extort huge sums of money from South Korean companies, and suspected of using her friendship with President Park Geun-hye to solicit business donations for a non-profit fund she controlled.
According to South Korean prosecutors, President Park Geun-hye had a “considerable” role in a corruption scandal involving her close confidante Choi Soon-sil.
Speaking after Choi Soon-sil and two of Prak Geun-hye’s aides were charged, Chief Prosecutor Lee Young-ryeol said the president was “involved as a conspirator” but was immune from prosecution.
Park Geun-hye has faced huge protests and opponents have urged her to quit.
The prosecutor said she would be questioned soon.
Image source Wikimedia
Park Geun-hye, whose approval rating has dropped to 5%, has apologized twice on national TV but has so far resisted calls to resign.
Her office had no comment on November 20. She has previously pledged to cooperate in the investigation but resisted prosecutors’ plans to question her last week, Reuters reported.
South Korea’s parliament has approved a bill to appoint a special prosecutor, who will take over the case from state prosecutors.
South Koreans have reacted angrily to the revelations. The country has witnessed the largest protests since the pro-democracy demonstrations of the 1980s.
Organizers said as many as 500,000 people attended a candlelit rally in the capital this weekend, which brought streets to a standstill for the fourth consecutive Saturday. Police put the figure far lower.
Park Geun-hye is facing growing calls to resign over the scandal. Opposition figures may attempt to impeach her if she refuses to resign in order to protect her immunity.
Choi Soon-sil is accused of trying to extort huge sums of money from South Korean companies, and suspected of using her friendship with Park Geun-hye to solicit business donations for a non-profit fund she controlled.
Also indicted was Ahn Jong-beom, Park Geun-hye’s former senior secretary for policy coordination. Ahn Jong-beom was charged with abuse of authority, coercion and attempted coercion.
The second aide to be charged was Jung Ho-sung, accused of passing classified presidential documents to Choi Spoon-sil, including information on ministerial candidates.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye will be questioned over allegations of political corruption in a scandal that has engulfed her presidency.
According to officials, this will be the first time a sitting president has been questioned by prosecutors.
Park Geun-hye is accused of allowing her friend Choi Soon-sil to manipulate power from behind the scenes.
Hundreds of thousands rallied on November 12 to demand her resignation.
Image source Wikimedia
South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted officials as saying Park Geun-hye’s questioning should take place no later than November 16.
Prosecutors have also questioned top executives at Samsung, Hyundai and Korean Air.
Lee Jae-Yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, was questioned over whether Park Geun-hye pressured the company into donating millions to foundations controlled by her friend Choi Soon-sil.
Choi Soon-sil is accused of trying to extort huge sums of money from South Korean companies and is under arrest on charges of fraud and abuse of power.
She is suspected of using her friendship with President Park Geun-hye to solicit business donations for a non-profit fund she controlled.
Park Geun-hye, whose approval ratings have plummeted to 5% because of the scandal, has said she is “heartbroken”.
On November 12, organizers said some one million people encircled the presidential compound in the South Korean capital of Seoul, in the largest anti-government rally the country has seen.
It was the latest in weeks of demonstrations against President Park Geun-hye.
On November 13, the presidential office said Park Geun-hye was “earnestly considering ways to normalize state affairs” and that she had “heard the voices of the people at the rally”.
South Korea’s constitution does not allow a sitting president to be prosecuted, but investigations are permissible.
Park Geun-hye has 15 months left in her term. If she steps down elections must be held within 60 days.
As part of an investigation into government corruption, South Korean prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for two former aides of President Park Geun-hye.
Her former senior secretary for policy Ahn Jong-beom, and private secretary Jung Ho-sung, are wanted in relation to charges of fraud and abuse of power.
President Park Geun-hye has so far refused to resign over the scandal. She apologized on TV on November 4.
In the TV address, she admitted that she made an error in allowing her friend Choi Soon-sil inappropriate access to government policy-making.
Image source Wikimedia
However, Park Geun-hye denied allowing cultish rituals to be performed in the presidential palace.
Choi Soon-sil, the daughter of a cult leader, is suspected of using her friendship with the president to solicit donations to a non-profit fund she controlled. She is in detention facing charges.
The corruption scandal, which threatens to engulf Park Geun-hye’s leadership, has left her with an approval rating of just 5%, the lowest ever for a sitting South Korean president.
Tens of thousands of South Koreans have been protesting in Seoul demanding her resignation.
The main opposition party, which said Park Geun-hye’s apology on November 4 lacked sincerity, also called on her to step back from state affairs.
Park Geun-hye became South Korea’s first female president when she was elected in a close-run contest in December 2012.
Choi Soon-sil is the daughter of Choi Tae-min, a shadowy quasi-religious leader who was closely linked to Park Geun-hye’s father, then-President Park Chung-hee.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has denied following a religious cult as Choi Soon-sil scandal threatens to engulf her leadership.
In a TV address, Park Geun-hye apologized for allowing Choi Soon-sil, a long-standing friend of her, inappropriate access to government policy-making.
The president agreed to be questioned over the scandal but did not offer to resign.
Choi Soon-sil is suspected of using her friendship with the president to solicit donations to a non-profit fund she controlled.
She is now in detention facing charges of fraud and abuse of power.
Image source Wikimedia
The main opposition party said Park Geun-hye’s apology lacked sincerity and it called on her to step back from state affairs.
Scuffles broke out between police and demonstrators demanding Park Geun-hye’s resignation in central Seoul on November 4.
Choi Soon-sil is the daughter of Choi Tae-min, a shadowy quasi-religious leader who was closely linked to Park Geun-hye’s father, then-president Park Chung-hee.
On November 4, Park Geun-hye went on TV to deny allowing cultish rituals to be held in the presidential palace.
“There have been claims that I fell for a religious cult or had [shamanist rituals] performed in the Blue House, but I would like to clarify that those are absolutely not true,” she said.
The president said she took sole responsibility for access to government documents and was willing to be investigated.
She had “put too much faith in a personal relationship and didn’t look carefully at what was happening”.
Anyone found to have done wrong would be punished, Park Geun-hye said, and “if necessary, I’m determined to let prosecutors investigate me and accept an investigation by an independent counsel too”.
The scandal has left the president with an approval rating of just 5%.
Park Geun-hye has already replaced her prime minster, reshuffled her cabinet and dismissed several aides, but there are growing calls for her resignation or impeachment.
Choo Mi-ae, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, said Park Geun-hye did not believe the apology was genuine and called on her to accept a new prime minister recommended by parliament.
Park Geun-hye became South Korea’s first female president when she was elected in a close-run contest in December 2012.
Ahn Jong-beom, a former aide to South Korean President Park Geun-hye, has been placed under emergency detention, prosecutors say.
He is the second aide to be detained in a scandal which is threatening Park Geun-hye’s position.
Ahn Jong-beom and Park Geun-hye’s long-time friend and mentor Choi Soon-sil are suspected of using their presidential connections to persuade corporations to donate funds to foundations they were involved with.
Choi Soon-sil was detained on October 31 and is still being held.
Ahn Jong-beom had told reporters on November 2 he would take responsibility for his actions, the Yonhap news agency reports, without giving further details.
He has been placed under emergency detention to prevent the possibility of him tampering with evidence, prosecutors said. They have 48 hours to formally request an arrest warrant in court.
On November 2, prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for Choi Soon-sil. Seoul Central District Court is due to review the request on November 3, a court spokesman said.
Several banks have also been raided in connection with the controversy, which has prompted widespread anger.
Park Geun-hye responded to the crisis on November 2 by reshuffling her government, appointing a new finance minister and prime minister – a largely symbolic role in South Korea.
Surveys suggest Park Geun-hye’s approval rating is about 10%, with about half of respondents saying she should resign or face impeachment.
Prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for Choi Soon-sil, a friend of South Korean President Park Geun-hye amid a scandal that threatens to bring down her administration.
Choi Soon-sil was detained on October 31, accused of influence peddling and interfering in state affairs.
Eight banks have also been raided in connection with the scandal, South Korean media reported.
The scandal has prompted widespread anger.
Image source Getty Images
Critics say Choi Soon-sil used her closeness to the president to solicit corporate money for foundations she ran, as well as embezzling state funds and directing presidential decisions, despite a lack of office, expertise or security clearance.
Seoul Central District Court will review the request for an arrest warrant for Choi Soon-sil on November 3, a court spokesman said.
President Park Geun-hye has responded by reshuffling her government.
Kim Byong-joon, a senior presidential secretary under a previous administration, was named as prime minister to replace Hwang Kyo-ahn. The role of prime minister is largely symbolic in South Korea, where power is concentrated in the presidency.
Yim Jong-yong, currently Financial Services Commission chairman, was named as the new finance minister and deputy prime minister, replacing Yoo Il-ho.
A new minister of public safety and security has also been appointed.
However, the opposition says the reshuffle is an attempt to deflect attention from Choi Soon-sil.
Surveys show Park Geun-hye’s approval rating is about 10% and about half of respondents say she should resign or face impeachment.
Thousands of South Koreans have rallied in Seoul on October 29, demanding the resignation of President Park Geun-hye.
The protest comes after Park Geun-hye ordered 10 of her senior advisers to quit after admitting she had allowed an old friend to edit political speeches.
Choi Soon-sil, who holds no government job, is also suspected of meddling in policy-making and exploiting her links with the president for financial gain.
Park Geun-hye’s televised apology over the scandal last week sparked widespread accusations of mismanagement.
Image source AP
Police said about 8,000 protesters took to the streets of Seoul on October 29. Organizers said some 20,000 people turned out.
Many held posters reading “Step down, Park Geun-hye”.
“Park has lost her authority as president and showed she doesn’t have the basic qualities to govern a country,” opposition politician Jae-myung Lee was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
Park Geun-hye’s TV apology failed to defuse the situation.
The scandal has badly eroded the president’s popularity before next year’s elections, with some opposition parties calling on her to resign.
However, the row has not prevented Park Geun-hye from proposing that presidents be allowed to stand for a second consecutive term.
Park Geun-hye, 64, became the first woman to lead South Korea after winning presidential elections in 2012.
Choi Soon-sil is the daughter of shadowy religious cult leader Choi Tae-min, who was Park Geun-hye’s mentor until his death in 1994.
She left the country last month and is currently in Germany. She has denied in an interview with South Korean media benefiting financially from her government links.
Choi Soon-sil’s lawyer said she was well aware of the “gravity” of the situation and was willing to return to South Korea if summoned by prosecutors.
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