South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been asked to address a joint session of Congress on his visit to Washington later this month.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and other officials announced Thursday that Republic of Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol has been invited to address a joint meeting of Congress in honour of the 70th anniversary of the US-ROK connection. The meeting is scheduled for April 27, as reported by the Associated Press.&nbsp;

“With this year marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance between our two countries, it is an especially important time to reflect on the achievements of our partnership and to reaffirm our shared commitment to democracy, economic prosperity, and global peace,” the leaders wrote.

They stated that the US-Korea relationship is "of great importance and significance," and that the meeting "would provide an ideal platform for you to share your vision for the future of the US-Korea alliance."

President Joe Biden will host Yoon at a state dinner on April 26, his second as president.

The invitation to address Congress comes as the US strengthens its connections with Asia and sharpens its focus on China. This week, McCarthy risked infuriating China by having a bipartisan meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in a diplomatic show of US support for the island government, which Beijing claims as territory.

South Korea and the US have recently intensified collaborative security measures as concerns about China's intentions in the region increase. &nbsp;The country is also concerned about US restrictions affecting the tech industry and trade with China.

Congress often invites heads of state to deliver speeches during joint sessions, providing a high-profile chance to highlight ties between the United States and other countries.

The congressional minority leaders, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, signed the letter.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been asked to address a joint session of Congress on his visit to Washington later this month. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and other officials announced Thursday that Republic of Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol has been invited to address a joint meeting of Congress in honour of the 70th anniversary of the US-ROK connection.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been asked to address a joint session of Congress on his visit to Washington later this month. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and other officials announced Thursday that Republic of Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol has been invited to address a joint meeting of Congress in honour of the 70th anniversary of the US-ROK connection. The meeting is scheduled for April 27, as reported by the Associated Press. “With this year marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance between our two countries, it is an especially important time to reflect on the achievements of our partnership and to reaffirm our shared commitment to democracy, economic prosperity, and global peace,” the leaders wrote. They stated that the US-Korea relationship is "of great importance and significance," and that the meeting "would provide an ideal platform for you to share your vision for the future of the US-Korea alliance." President Joe Biden will host Yoon at a state dinner on April 26, his second as president. The invitation to address Congress comes as the US strengthens its connections with Asia and sharpens its focus on China. This week, McCarthy risked infuriating China by having a bipartisan meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in a diplomatic show of US support for the island government, which Beijing claims as territory. South Korea and the US have recently intensified collaborative security measures as concerns about China's intentions in the region increase. The country is also concerned about US restrictions affecting the tech industry and trade with China. Congress often invites heads of state to deliver speeches during joint sessions, providing a high-profile chance to highlight ties between the United States and other countries. The congressional minority leaders, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, signed the letter. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US invites South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol to address Congress

The jailed de facto leader of the giant Samsung group walked free on parole Friday, the latest instance of South Korea's long tradition of freeing business leaders imprisoned for corruption or tax evasion on economic grounds.

Lee Jae-yong,&nbsp;the 202nd richest person in the world according to Forbes, with a net worth of $11.4 billion,&nbsp;was serving a two-and-a-half year prison sentence for bribery, embezzlement and other offences in connection with the corruption scandal that brought down ex-South Korean president Park Geun-hye.

But calls for his early release from both politicians and business leaders grew in recent months over what they claimed was a possible leadership vacuum at the South's biggest conglomerate.

The justice ministry announced Monday he had been paroled,&nbsp;among around 800 early releases,&nbsp;citing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic's impact on the economy.

Lee, 53, bowed to reporters waiting outside a detention centre south of Seoul and told them: "I have caused too much concern to the people. I'm really sorry."

Wearing a black suit, he added: "I'm listening carefully to your worries, criticisms, concerns, and high expectations about me," before he was driven away in a black limousine.

Lee was first jailed for five years in 2017, after Park's ouster, then walked free the following year when an appeals court dismissed most of his bribery convictions and gave him a suspended sentence.

But the Supreme Court later ordered Lee to face a retrial, which convicted and jailed him again.

Nonetheless, Lee remains on trial over alleged stock manipulation that effectively eased his path to take control of the family conglomerate -- the same purpose for which he was convicted of bribing Park.

There is a long history of top South Korea tycoons chaebol figures being charged with bribery, embezzlement, tax evasion, or other offences.

But many of those convicted have subsequently had their sentences cut or suspended on appeal, with some -- including late Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, who was convicted twice -- receiving presidential pardons in recognition of their "contribution to the national economy".

"This is undeniably preferential treatment, especially given that a separate trial is still going on," Song Won-keun, an economics professor at Gyeongsang National University, told AFP.

Wealth a factor?&nbsp;

According to justice ministry data, only 0.3 percent of all convicts who were released on parole from 2011 to 2020 served less than 70 percent of their jail terms.

But a rule change came into effect this month cutting the proportion of their sentences prisoners must serve before being eligible for parole to 60 percent -- a mark Lee passed a few weeks ago.

The giant&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;group is by&nbsp;far&nbsp;the largest of the family-controlled empires known as chaebols that dominate business in South Korea, the world's 12th largest&nbsp;economy.

Its flagship subsidiary Samsung Electronics is the world's biggest smartphone maker.

Chaebol families often have only a small ownership stake in their empires, but maintain control through complex webs of cross-shareholdings between units.

Lee promised last year to end the line of family succession at the firm, saying he would not pass down his role to his children as he bowed in apology for multiple controversies.

His imprisonment has been no barrier to the firm's performance -- it announced a surge of more than 70 percent in second-quarter profits last month,&nbsp;with coronavirus-driven working from home boosting demand for devices using its memory chips.

Regardless, leaders of the country's top four conglomerates -- SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, LG Group and Samsung -- in June met with President Moon Jae-in to press him to pardon Lee.

Polls also showed an increasing number of South Koreans in favour of granting him parole, with backing from more than 66 percent of respondents in a recent Realmeter survey.

But Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean Studies at the University of Oslo, took a different view.&nbsp;

"Releasing him does not follow routine law-enforcement practice and suggests that his wealth could have been a factor," he told AFP.

The jailed de facto leader of the giant Samsung group walked free on parole Friday, the latest instance of South Korea's long tradition of freeing business leaders imprisoned for corruption or tax evasion on economic grounds.

The jailed de facto leader of the giant Samsung group walked free on parole Friday, the latest instance of South Korea's long tradition of freeing business leaders imprisoned for corruption or tax evasion on economic grounds. Lee Jae-yong, the 202nd richest person in the world according to Forbes, with a net worth of $11.4 billion, was serving a two-and-a-half year prison sentence for bribery, embezzlement and other offences in connection with the corruption scandal that brought down ex-South Korean president Park Geun-hye. But calls for his early release from both politicians and business leaders grew in recent months over what they claimed was a possible leadership vacuum at the South's biggest conglomerate. The justice ministry announced Monday he had been paroled, among around 800 early releases, citing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic's impact on the economy. Lee, 53, bowed to reporters waiting outside a detention centre south of Seoul and told them: "I have caused too much concern to the people. I'm really sorry." Wearing a black suit, he added: "I'm listening carefully to your worries, criticisms, concerns, and high expectations about me," before he was driven away in a black limousine. Lee was first jailed for five years in 2017, after Park's ouster, then walked free the following year when an appeals court dismissed most of his bribery convictions and gave him a suspended sentence. But the Supreme Court later ordered Lee to face a retrial, which convicted and jailed him again. Nonetheless, Lee remains on trial over alleged stock manipulation that effectively eased his path to take control of the family conglomerate -- the same purpose for which he was convicted of bribing Park. There is a long history of top South Korea tycoons chaebol figures being charged with bribery, embezzlement, tax evasion, or other offences. But many of those convicted have subsequently had their sentences cut or suspended on appeal, with some -- including late Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, who was convicted twice -- receiving presidential pardons in recognition of their "contribution to the national economy". "This is undeniably preferential treatment, especially given that a separate trial is still going on," Song Won-keun, an economics professor at Gyeongsang National University, told AFP. Wealth a factor? According to justice ministry data, only 0.3 percent of all convicts who were released on parole from 2011 to 2020 served less than 70 percent of their jail terms. But a rule change came into effect this month cutting the proportion of their sentences prisoners must serve before being eligible for parole to 60 percent -- a mark Lee passed a few weeks ago. The giant Samsung group is by far the largest of the family-controlled empires known as chaebols that dominate business in South Korea, the world's 12th largest economy. Its flagship subsidiary Samsung Electronics is the world's biggest smartphone maker. Chaebol families often have only a small ownership stake in their empires, but maintain control through complex webs of cross-shareholdings between units. Lee promised last year to end the line of family succession at the firm, saying he would not pass down his role to his children as he bowed in apology for multiple controversies. His imprisonment has been no barrier to the firm's performance -- it announced a surge of more than 70 percent in second-quarter profits last month, with coronavirus-driven working from home boosting demand for devices using its memory chips. Regardless, leaders of the country's top four conglomerates -- SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, LG Group and Samsung -- in June met with President Moon Jae-in to press him to pardon Lee. Polls also showed an increasing number of South Koreans in favour of granting him parole, with backing from more than 66 percent of respondents in a recent Realmeter survey. But Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean Studies at the University of Oslo, took a different view. "Releasing him does not follow routine law-enforcement practice and suggests that his wealth could have been a factor," he told AFP.

Jailed Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong released on parole

South Korean prosecutors indicted the heir to the Samsung empire Tuesday over a controversial merger of two business units seen as a key step towards his succession, in the latest legal blow to the sprawling conglomerate.

Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, committed stock manipulation, breach of trust and other offences when two other subsidiaries, Samsung C&amp;T and Cheil Industries, merged in 2015, the prosecutors said.&nbsp;

Ten other current and former top Samsung executives were also charged.

Lee and his subordinates had carried out "a systemic scheme to take control of the Samsung Group with the least cost", said the prosecution, by deploying "various unfair transactions" that damaged other shareholders' interests. &nbsp;

Lee is already separately being retried on charges of bribery, embezzlement and other offences in connection with the corruption scandal that brought down former South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

The businessman was not detained, but the charges are likely to prove a distraction as his firm seeks to navigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-reportedly-paid-almost-1-billion-to-samsung-for-faltering-on-order-for-screens-313197">Also read:&nbsp;Apple reportedly paid almost $1 billion to Samsung for faltering on order for screens</a>

Samsung Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of the group, which was founded by Lee's grandfather and has grown to become by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates, or chaebols, that dominate business in the world's 12th-largest economy.

Its overall turnover is equivalent to a fifth of South Korea's gross domestic product and is crucial to the country's economic health.

The firm saw profits rise in April-July with data centres moving to stockpile its DRAM chips to meet surging demand for online activities as a result of global lockdowns.

But the South's economy shrank 3.2 per cent year-on-year in the same period, according to a revised estimate by the central Bank of Korea on Tuesday.

Lee's legal team rejected the charges, calling them "one-sided allegations" by the investigators and "totally untrue".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/south-korean-court-denies-arrest-warrant-request-for-samsung-heir-304387">Also read:&nbsp;South Korean court denies arrest warrant request for Samsung heir</a>

"Every process for the merger was carried out legally," they said, adding the indictment against Lee was "not only beyond comprehension, it's lamentable."

'Cloud of uncertainty'

Chaebol families often have only a small ownership stake in their empires, but maintain control through complex webs of cross-shareholdings between units.&nbsp;

Lee was the largest shareholder in Cheil Industries, and critics say Samsung sought to artificially lower the price of C&amp;T to give him a bigger stake in the merged entity -- a key part of the Samsung structure -- consolidating his grip on the conglomerate.

Lee's latest legal troubles add a layer of "uncertainty" to the company and could "burden the South's economy as a whole", said Kim Dae-jong, a business professor at Sejong University in Seoul.&nbsp;

"The fact that he will have to stand another trial creates a cloud of uncertainty and probably affects Samsung's long-term investment plans," he told AFP.

With the country feeling the economic pain from the outbreak, "the timing isn't good", he added.

Nonetheless Samsung Electronics' shares closed up 0.37 percent in Seoul.

Some chaebol leaders who have been convicted in the past have subsequently received presidential pardons in recognition of their economic roles.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in campaigned in part on a promise of reforming the chaebols and the prosecution's move came despite a civilian review panel recommending Lee should not be indicted, citing a lack of evidence.

Lee was jailed for five years in 2017 after being found guilty of bribery and other offences linked to former president Park, before being cleared of the most serious charges on appeal and released a year later. That case is currently being retried.

Lee apologised in May over the issues, pledging to ensure "there will be no more controversy over the succession" and that he would not allow his children to take over from him at the firm.&nbsp;

"Our technology and products are being hailed as first-class but the public gaze towards Samsung still remains harsh," he said, bowing to the cameras. "This is my fault. I apologise."

South Korean prosecutors indicted the heir to the Samsung empire Tuesday over a controversial merger of two business units seen as a key step towards his succession, in the latest legal blow to the sprawling conglomerate.

South Korean prosecutors indicted the heir to the Samsung empire Tuesday over a controversial merger of two business units seen as a key step towards his succession, in the latest legal blow to the sprawling conglomerate. Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, committed stock manipulation, breach of trust and other offences when two other subsidiaries, Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries, merged in 2015, the prosecutors said. Ten other current and former top Samsung executives were also charged. Lee and his subordinates had carried out "a systemic scheme to take control of the Samsung Group with the least cost", said the prosecution, by deploying "various unfair transactions" that damaged other shareholders' interests. Lee is already separately being retried on charges of bribery, embezzlement and other offences in connection with the corruption scandal that brought down former South Korean President Park Geun-hye. The businessman was not detained, but the charges are likely to prove a distraction as his firm seeks to navigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Also read: Apple reportedly paid almost $1 billion to Samsung for faltering on order for screens Samsung Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of the group, which was founded by Lee's grandfather and has grown to become by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates, or chaebols, that dominate business in the world's 12th-largest economy. Its overall turnover is equivalent to a fifth of South Korea's gross domestic product and is crucial to the country's economic health. The firm saw profits rise in April-July with data centres moving to stockpile its DRAM chips to meet surging demand for online activities as a result of global lockdowns. But the South's economy shrank 3.2 per cent year-on-year in the same period, according to a revised estimate by the central Bank of Korea on Tuesday. Lee's legal team rejected the charges, calling them "one-sided allegations" by the investigators and "totally untrue". Also read: South Korean court denies arrest warrant request for Samsung heir "Every process for the merger was carried out legally," they said, adding the indictment against Lee was "not only beyond comprehension, it's lamentable." 'Cloud of uncertainty' Chaebol families often have only a small ownership stake in their empires, but maintain control through complex webs of cross-shareholdings between units. Lee was the largest shareholder in Cheil Industries, and critics say Samsung sought to artificially lower the price of C&T to give him a bigger stake in the merged entity -- a key part of the Samsung structure -- consolidating his grip on the conglomerate. Lee's latest legal troubles add a layer of "uncertainty" to the company and could "burden the South's economy as a whole", said Kim Dae-jong, a business professor at Sejong University in Seoul. "The fact that he will have to stand another trial creates a cloud of uncertainty and probably affects Samsung's long-term investment plans," he told AFP. With the country feeling the economic pain from the outbreak, "the timing isn't good", he added. Nonetheless Samsung Electronics' shares closed up 0.37 percent in Seoul. Some chaebol leaders who have been convicted in the past have subsequently received presidential pardons in recognition of their economic roles. South Korean President Moon Jae-in campaigned in part on a promise of reforming the chaebols and the prosecution's move came despite a civilian review panel recommending Lee should not be indicted, citing a lack of evidence. Lee was jailed for five years in 2017 after being found guilty of bribery and other offences linked to former president Park, before being cleared of the most serious charges on appeal and released a year later. That case is currently being retried. Lee apologised in May over the issues, pledging to ensure "there will be no more controversy over the succession" and that he would not allow his children to take over from him at the firm. "Our technology and products are being hailed as first-class but the public gaze towards Samsung still remains harsh," he said, bowing to the cameras. "This is my fault. I apologise."

Samsung heir charged with fraud over succession-linked deal

As the monkeypox virus continues to spread, Germany confirmed the first case in a four-year-old child. German health officials detected the virus in a girl reportedly living with two infected adults. But she has no symptoms currently even as doctors took the swab for diagnosis.

The country’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) had confirmed the spread of monkeypox virus among teenagers last week. Germany has recorded 2,900 monkeypox cases so far.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-moves-to-stretch-out-monkeypox-vaccine-supply-505298">Also Read:&nbsp;US moves to stretch out monkeypox vaccine supply</a>

Monkeypox cases in Europe have surged since May. RKI said the risk to the population was low, but added it would continue to “monitor” the situation. Germany’s standing committee on health said in order to prevent the outbreak, it is important for the country to start the vaccination campaign.

However, the German committee said it had only 40,000 doses of Jynneos vaccine while it ordered another 200,000 doses.

Watch:&nbsp;California declares monkeypox emergency

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The United States had declared monkeypox a public health emergency last week as it sought to ramp up the supply of vaccines. The US is one of the worst-hit countries with over 9,000 monkeypox cases. New York is currently the epicentre of the virus with majority of cases involving men who have had sex with men, reports say.

On Monday, Peru recorded the first monkeypox death while reporting over 300 cases. Health officials said the 45-year-old man suffered from comorbidities.&nbsp;Hospitals in the country have been reporting eight to nine monkeypox cases per day.

According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), over 18,000 people have been infected with the monkeypox virus outside Africa in at least 78 countries worldwide with the majority of cases currently in Europe.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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&nbsp;

As the monkeypox virus continues to spread, Germany confirmed the first case in a four-year-old child. German health officials detected the virus in a girl reportedly living with two infected adults.

As the monkeypox virus continues to spread, Germany confirmed the first case in a four-year-old child. German health officials detected the virus in a girl reportedly living with two infected adults. But she has no symptoms currently even as doctors took the swab for diagnosis. The country’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) had confirmed the spread of monkeypox virus among teenagers last week. Germany has recorded 2,900 monkeypox cases so far. Also Read: US moves to stretch out monkeypox vaccine supply Monkeypox cases in Europe have surged since May. RKI said the risk to the population was low, but added it would continue to “monitor” the situation. Germany’s standing committee on health said in order to prevent the outbreak, it is important for the country to start the vaccination campaign. However, the German committee said it had only 40,000 doses of Jynneos vaccine while it ordered another 200,000 doses. Watch: California declares monkeypox emergency The United States had declared monkeypox a public health emergency last week as it sought to ramp up the supply of vaccines. The US is one of the worst-hit countries with over 9,000 monkeypox cases. New York is currently the epicentre of the virus with majority of cases involving men who have had sex with men, reports say. On Monday, Peru recorded the first monkeypox death while reporting over 300 cases. Health officials said the 45-year-old man suffered from comorbidities. Hospitals in the country have been reporting eight to nine monkeypox cases per day. According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), over 18,000 people have been infected with the monkeypox virus outside Africa in at least 78 countries worldwide with the majority of cases currently in Europe. (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

South Korea jails three executives of Samsung Electronics

A South Korea court issued an arrest warrant for ex-President Lee Myung-bak on corruption charges Thursday, Yonhap news agency reported, days after he faced a marathon interrogation by prosecutors.

The 76-year-old, who served from 2008 to 2013, is the latest of several ex-leaders to be embroiled in a criminal inquiry and is being investigated for multiple cases of bribery amounting to millions of dollars.&nbsp;

Prosecutors had raised fears he may destroy evidence if not detained. Yonhap reported that if convicted of all the allegations he could be jailed for up to 45 years.

Lee, who has denied most of the accusations he faced, will be the fourth surviving former South Korean leader to be detained over corruption.&nbsp;

The allegations against Lee include claims that the Samsung Group bought a presidential pardon in 2009 for its chairman Lee Kun-hee, who had been convicted of tax evasion and given a suspended jail sentence.&nbsp;

Lee is also accused of accepting millions of dollars from a former CEO of a state-financed banking group for helping him assume the post.&nbsp;

In addition, the businessman-turned-politician is accused of receiving $100,000 in off-book funds from the state spy agency and embezzling millions of dollars from an auto parts company he is said to own under the names of his relatives.

The conservative ex-leader has denounced the investigation as &quot;political revenge&quot; by his rivals.

All four former South Korean presidents who are still alive have been convicted, charged or investigated for criminal offences.

Lee&#39;s predecessor Park Geun-Hye is currently in jail pending a verdict in her bribery trial after being impeached last year over a corruption scandal. Prosecutors have demanded 30 years in jail.&nbsp;

Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, former army generals who served through the 1980s to early 1990s, served jail terms in the 1990s for corruption and treason after leaving office.&nbsp;

Both Chun and Roh received presidential pardons after serving about two years.

A South Korea court issued an arrest warrant for ex-President Lee Myung-bak on corruption charges Thursday, Yonhap news agency reported, days after he faced a marathon interrogation by prosecutors

A South Korea court issued an arrest warrant for ex-President Lee Myung-bak on corruption charges Thursday, Yonhap news agency reported, days after he faced a marathon interrogation by prosecutors. The 76-year-old, who served from 2008 to 2013, is the latest of several ex-leaders to be embroiled in a criminal inquiry and is being investigated for multiple cases of bribery amounting to millions of dollars. Prosecutors had raised fears he may destroy evidence if not detained. Yonhap reported that if convicted of all the allegations he could be jailed for up to 45 years. Lee, who has denied most of the accusations he faced, will be the fourth surviving former South Korean leader to be detained over corruption. The allegations against Lee include claims that the Samsung Group bought a presidential pardon in 2009 for its chairman Lee Kun-hee, who had been convicted of tax evasion and given a suspended jail sentence. Lee is also accused of accepting millions of dollars from a former CEO of a state-financed banking group for helping him assume the post. In addition, the businessman-turned-politician is accused of receiving $100,000 in off-book funds from the state spy agency and embezzling millions of dollars from an auto parts company he is said to own under the names of his relatives. The conservative ex-leader has denounced the investigation as "political revenge" by his rivals. All four former South Korean presidents who are still alive have been convicted, charged or investigated for criminal offences. Lee's predecessor Park Geun-Hye is currently in jail pending a verdict in her bribery trial after being impeached last year over a corruption scandal. Prosecutors have demanded 30 years in jail. Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, former army generals who served through the 1980s to early 1990s, served jail terms in the 1990s for corruption and treason after leaving office. Both Chun and Roh received presidential pardons after serving about two years.

Arrest warrant issued for ex-South Korean President Lee: Report

South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday sought a 30-year jail term for former President Park Geun-hye who was ousted last year amid an influence-peddling scandal that rocked the country&#39;s business and political elite.

Park was dismissed in March after being impeached and is standing trial on charges of bribery, abuse of power and coercion. She denies wrongdoing.

Park Geun-hye is standing trial on charges of bribery, abuse of power and coercion

South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday sought a 30-year jail term for former President Park Geun-hye who was ousted last year amid an influence-peddling scandal that rocked the country's business and political elite. Park was dismissed in March after being impeached and is standing trial on charges of bribery, abuse of power and coercion. She denies wrongdoing.

South Korean prosecutors seek 30-year jail term for former President Park Geun-Hye

Ousted South Korean president Park Geun-Hye is to be charged with accepting millions of dollars worth of bribes from the state spy agency, news reports said Thursday.

Park allegedly received between 50 and 200 million won (now $47,000 to $188,000) from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) every month from soon after her swearing-in in early 2013 until mid-2016, prosecutors told South Korean media.

The cash -- said to total 3.8 billion won -- was reportedly delivered by NIS agents to Park&#39;s aides in uncrowded parking lots or in back alleys near the presidential Blue House.

The money came from the spy agency&#39;s &quot;blind budget&quot; -- millions of dollars of special funds that can be spent without receipts for anti-espionage activities -- Yonhap news agency said.&nbsp;

It remains unclear how Park spent the funds but news reports said she used them for personal purposes or to bankroll supporter groups.

Park is already on trial on 18 charges including bribery, coercion and abuse of power for offering governmental favours to tycoons, and prosecutors will add a 19th count to the indictment regarding the payments, reports said.

South Korea&#39;s first female president was impeached by parliament after months of mass protests over a sprawling graft scandal, and the constitutional court upheld the decision in March last year, dismissing her from office.&nbsp;

She has been in custody since March 31.

Her trial began in May but she has refused to attend since October, infuriated by a court decision to extend her detention by six months, when her legal team also quit, accusing the judges of bias.&nbsp;

Park has since refused to cooperate with a team of state-sponsored defence lawyers appointed by the court.

Prosecutors sought to question Park in prison twice over the fresh allegations, but she has refused to cooperate.

Two former NIS chiefs have been indicted over the bribery charges.

The cash -- said to total 3.8 billion won -- was reportedly delivered by NIS agents to Park's aides in uncrowded parking lots or in back alleys near the presidential Blue House.

Ousted South Korean president Park Geun-Hye is to be charged with accepting millions of dollars worth of bribes from the state spy agency, news reports said Thursday. Park allegedly received between 50 and 200 million won (now $47,000 to $188,000) from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) every month from soon after her swearing-in in early 2013 until mid-2016, prosecutors told South Korean media. The cash -- said to total 3.8 billion won -- was reportedly delivered by NIS agents to Park's aides in uncrowded parking lots or in back alleys near the presidential Blue House. The money came from the spy agency's "blind budget" -- millions of dollars of special funds that can be spent without receipts for anti-espionage activities -- Yonhap news agency said. It remains unclear how Park spent the funds but news reports said she used them for personal purposes or to bankroll supporter groups. Park is already on trial on 18 charges including bribery, coercion and abuse of power for offering governmental favours to tycoons, and prosecutors will add a 19th count to the indictment regarding the payments, reports said. South Korea's first female president was impeached by parliament after months of mass protests over a sprawling graft scandal, and the constitutional court upheld the decision in March last year, dismissing her from office. She has been in custody since March 31. Her trial began in May but she has refused to attend since October, infuriated by a court decision to extend her detention by six months, when her legal team also quit, accusing the judges of bias. Park has since refused to cooperate with a team of state-sponsored defence lawyers appointed by the court. Prosecutors sought to question Park in prison twice over the fresh allegations, but she has refused to cooperate. Two former NIS chiefs have been indicted over the bribery charges.

Ousted South Korean president Park 'took money from spy agency': Reports

The daughter of the woman at the centre of a corruption scandal that led to the ousting of South Korea&#39;s president was arrested by prosecutors on a plane bound for Seoul, reports said Wednesday.

Chung Yoo-Ra, 20, was arrested immediately after boarding a Korean Air flight from Amsterdam to Incheon early Wednesday morning after being extradited from Denmark a day earlier, Yonhap news agency said citing Seoul prosecutors.

Chung is the only child of Choi Soon-Sil, the close confidante of former President Park Geun-Hye.

Choi -- nicknamed &quot;Rasputin&quot; for her close influence over the then-president -- is a key figure in the influence-peddling scandal that sparked huge street protests demanding Park&#39;s ousting.

Park and Choi are already on trial for allegedly accepting or seeking millions of dollars in bribes from conglomerates including Samsung.

Chung, who was arrested by Danish police in January, dropped her appeal against extradition from Denmark, a Danish court announced last week, as Seoul wants to detain her for questioning.

The daughter is the alleged beneficiary of millions of dollars which South Korea&#39;s largest conglomerate Samsung paid to finance her equestrian training and luxurious lifestyle in Europe.

A team of five officials from the prosecutors&#39; office was dispatched to Amsterdam to make the arrest with a pre-issued warrant, Yonhap said.

It added that the prosecutors waited until Chung boarded the Korean Air flight, since South Korea&#39;s jurisdiction can be exercised on its national carrier.

Upon arrival at Incheon International Airport later on Wednesday, Chung is expected to make a short statement to the press and taken to the Seoul Prosecutors&#39; Office for questioning.

(AFP)

Chung Yoo-Ra, daughter of Choi Soon-Sil, was arrested immediately after boarding a Korean Air flight from Amsterdam

The daughter of the woman at the centre of a corruption scandal that led to the ousting of South Korea's president was arrested by prosecutors on a plane bound for Seoul, reports said Wednesday. Chung Yoo-Ra, 20, was arrested immediately after boarding a Korean Air flight from Amsterdam to Incheon early Wednesday morning after being extradited from Denmark a day earlier, Yonhap news agency said citing Seoul prosecutors. Chung is the only child of Choi Soon-Sil, the close confidante of former President Park Geun-Hye. Choi -- nicknamed "Rasputin" for her close influence over the then-president -- is a key figure in the influence-peddling scandal that sparked huge street protests demanding Park's ousting. Park and Choi are already on trial for allegedly accepting or seeking millions of dollars in bribes from conglomerates including Samsung. Chung, who was arrested by Danish police in January, dropped her appeal against extradition from Denmark, a Danish court announced last week, as Seoul wants to detain her for questioning. The daughter is the alleged beneficiary of millions of dollars which South Korea's largest conglomerate Samsung paid to finance her equestrian training and luxurious lifestyle in Europe. A team of five officials from the prosecutors' office was dispatched to Amsterdam to make the arrest with a pre-issued warrant, Yonhap said. It added that the prosecutors waited until Chung boarded the Korean Air flight, since South Korea's jurisdiction can be exercised on its national carrier. Upon arrival at Incheon International Airport later on Wednesday, Chung is expected to make a short statement to the press and taken to the Seoul Prosecutors' Office for questioning. (AFP)

Daughter of South Korean 'Rasputin' arrested on Seoul-bound plane

Liberal politician Moon Jae-in decisively won South Korea&#39;s presidential election on Tuesday, television networks declared, an expected victory ending nearly a decade of conservative rule and bringing a more conciliatory approach toward North Korea.

Moon&#39;s victory will end months of political turmoil that led to parliament&#39;s impeachment of conservative former President Park Geun-hye over an extensive corruption scandal, which a court upheld in March. Park became the first democratically elected leader in South Korea to be removed from office, triggering a snap election to choose her successor.

Climbing a temporary stage set up in the main square in downtown Seoul, a beaming Moon surrounded by his Democratic Party leaders, vowed to usher in a new era for a country badly bruised by the scandal in a midnight victory speech.

&quot;I will make a just, united country,&quot; he told a crowd gathered to see the former human rights lawyer who entered politics just five years ago. &quot;I will be a president who also serves all the people who did not support me.&quot;

With 80 per cent of the votes counted at 1705 GMT, Moon was ahead with 40 per cent, according to the National Election Commission. A conservative challenger, former prosecutor Hong Joon-pyo, was next with 25.5 per cent followed by centrist candidate Ahn Cheol-soo with 21.4 per cent.

A plurality of votes is enough for victory.

The results were in line with an exit poll by South Korea&#39;s three biggest broadcasters, which showed Moon, 64, capturing 41.4 per cent of the votes in a field of 13 candidates.

&quot;If exit polls are true, I will accept the results and just be satisfied with the fact that the Liberty Korea Party will be restored,&rdquo; a downcast Hong told members of his conservative party.

Ahn said he would &quot;humbly accept&quot; the result.

Voter turnout was 77.2 per cent, the highest in 20 years, but short of the expected 80 per cent mark, as voters headed to the polls in drizzly weather.

Fractured parliament

Moon is expected to be sworn in for a five-year term later on Wednesday. He has said he would skip a lavish inauguration ceremony and start work straight away.

He is likely to quickly name a prime minister, who will need parliamentary approval. The main cabinet posts, including national security and finance ministers, do not need parliamentary confirmation.

Moon, who narrowly lost to Park in the last presidential election in 2012, favours dialogue with North Korea to ease tension over its accelerating nuclear and missile programme. He also wants to reform powerful family-run conglomerates, such as Samsung and Hyundai, and boost fiscal spending to create jobs.

Moon has criticised the two previous conservative governments for failing to stop North Korea&#39;s weapons development. He advocates a two-track policy of seeking dialogue with the North while maintaining pressure and sanctions to encourage change.

His Democratic Party holds 40 per cent of the single-chamber, 299-seat assembly, which will means he will have to build coalitions to pass legislation.

His victory was bolstered by strong support from younger people, according to the exit polls. Many of his supporters participated in big, peaceful weekend rallies over the last few months of 2016 and early this year, demanding Park step down.

Only 22-25 per cent of people in their 60s and 70s voted for Moon, exit polls showed, underscoring a long-standing generation gap. Many older people are wary of Moon&#39;s less confrontational stance on North Korea.

South Korea first

The election is being closely watched abroad at a time of high tension with North Korea, which is believed to be preparing for a sixth nuclear test and has vowed to test an intercontinental missile.

Moon, whose campaign promises include a &quot;National Interest First&quot; policy, has struck a chord with people who want the country to stand up to powerful allies and neighbours.

He wrote in a book published in January South Korea should learn to say &quot;no to America&quot;.

Moon said in a YouTube live stream on Tuesday that South Korea should take on a more active diplomatic role to curb North Korea&#39;s nuclear threat and not watch idly as the United States and China talk to each other.

Moon was a close friend and confidant of late president Roh Moo-hyun, who served from 2003 to 2008 and advocated a &quot;Sunshine Policy&quot; of engaging North Korea through aid and exchanges.

Moon believes better inter-Korean relations is the best way to provide security. But Washington is worried his moderate stance could undercut efforts to increase pressure and sanctions, senior South Korean officials said.

&quot;Things are not right to resume the so-called Sunshine Policy, as the U.S. and China turned more hostile towards North Korea,&quot; said Koh Yu-hwan, Dongguk University professor of North Korean studies, who is serving as a foreign policy adviser to Moon.

&quot;Still, Moon is expected to engage in discussions, which could improve North-South relations.&quot;

Moon&#39;s election could also complicate the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system, which the former government in Seoul and the US&nbsp;military agreed to last year.

Moon has said the decision was made too quickly and the next administration should have the final say on whether to deploy the system.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

The Liberal politician is expected to be sworn in as President for a five-year term later on Wednesday.

Liberal politician Moon Jae-in decisively won South Korea's presidential election on Tuesday, television networks declared, an expected victory ending nearly a decade of conservative rule and bringing a more conciliatory approach toward North Korea. Moon's victory will end months of political turmoil that led to parliament's impeachment of conservative former President Park Geun-hye over an extensive corruption scandal, which a court upheld in March. Park became the first democratically elected leader in South Korea to be removed from office, triggering a snap election to choose her successor. Climbing a temporary stage set up in the main square in downtown Seoul, a beaming Moon surrounded by his Democratic Party leaders, vowed to usher in a new era for a country badly bruised by the scandal in a midnight victory speech. "I will make a just, united country," he told a crowd gathered to see the former human rights lawyer who entered politics just five years ago. "I will be a president who also serves all the people who did not support me." With 80 per cent of the votes counted at 1705 GMT, Moon was ahead with 40 per cent, according to the National Election Commission. A conservative challenger, former prosecutor Hong Joon-pyo, was next with 25.5 per cent followed by centrist candidate Ahn Cheol-soo with 21.4 per cent. A plurality of votes is enough for victory. The results were in line with an exit poll by South Korea's three biggest broadcasters, which showed Moon, 64, capturing 41.4 per cent of the votes in a field of 13 candidates. "If exit polls are true, I will accept the results and just be satisfied with the fact that the Liberty Korea Party will be restored,” a downcast Hong told members of his conservative party. Ahn said he would "humbly accept" the result. Voter turnout was 77.2 per cent, the highest in 20 years, but short of the expected 80 per cent mark, as voters headed to the polls in drizzly weather. Fractured parliament Moon is expected to be sworn in for a five-year term later on Wednesday. He has said he would skip a lavish inauguration ceremony and start work straight away. He is likely to quickly name a prime minister, who will need parliamentary approval. The main cabinet posts, including national security and finance ministers, do not need parliamentary confirmation. Moon, who narrowly lost to Park in the last presidential election in 2012, favours dialogue with North Korea to ease tension over its accelerating nuclear and missile programme. He also wants to reform powerful family-run conglomerates, such as Samsung and Hyundai, and boost fiscal spending to create jobs. Moon has criticised the two previous conservative governments for failing to stop North Korea's weapons development. He advocates a two-track policy of seeking dialogue with the North while maintaining pressure and sanctions to encourage change. His Democratic Party holds 40 per cent of the single-chamber, 299-seat assembly, which will means he will have to build coalitions to pass legislation. His victory was bolstered by strong support from younger people, according to the exit polls. Many of his supporters participated in big, peaceful weekend rallies over the last few months of 2016 and early this year, demanding Park step down. Only 22-25 per cent of people in their 60s and 70s voted for Moon, exit polls showed, underscoring a long-standing generation gap. Many older people are wary of Moon's less confrontational stance on North Korea. South Korea first The election is being closely watched abroad at a time of high tension with North Korea, which is believed to be preparing for a sixth nuclear test and has vowed to test an intercontinental missile. Moon, whose campaign promises include a "National Interest First" policy, has struck a chord with people who want the country to stand up to powerful allies and neighbours. He wrote in a book published in January South Korea should learn to say "no to America". Moon said in a YouTube live stream on Tuesday that South Korea should take on a more active diplomatic role to curb North Korea's nuclear threat and not watch idly as the United States and China talk to each other. Moon was a close friend and confidant of late president Roh Moo-hyun, who served from 2003 to 2008 and advocated a "Sunshine Policy" of engaging North Korea through aid and exchanges. Moon believes better inter-Korean relations is the best way to provide security. But Washington is worried his moderate stance could undercut efforts to increase pressure and sanctions, senior South Korean officials said. "Things are not right to resume the so-called Sunshine Policy, as the U.S. and China turned more hostile towards North Korea," said Koh Yu-hwan, Dongguk University professor of North Korean studies, who is serving as a foreign policy adviser to Moon. "Still, Moon is expected to engage in discussions, which could improve North-South relations." Moon's election could also complicate the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system, which the former government in Seoul and the US military agreed to last year. Moon has said the decision was made too quickly and the next administration should have the final say on whether to deploy the system. (Reuters)

South Korea: Moon vows to unify 'bruised country' in victory speech

&nbsp;South Koreans go to the polls on Tuesday to elect a new leader, looking to move on from a corruption scandal that brought down former President Park Geun-hye and shook the political and business elite to the core.

Unless there is a major upset, liberal Moon Jae-in - who calls for a moderate approach on North Korea, wants to reform powerful family-run conglomerates and boost fiscal spending to create jobs - will be elected president.

The vote will end months of leadership vacuum. Park was ousted on charges of bribery and abuse of power in March to become South Korea&#39;s first democratically elected president to be forced from office. She is in jail, on trial.

Park has denied wrongdoing.

Moon, who lost to Park narrowly in the last presidential election, in 2012, has criticised the two former conservative governments for failing to stop North Korea&#39;s weapons development. He advocates a two-track policy of dialogue while maintaining pressure and sanctions to encourage change.

A Gallup Korea poll published last Wednesday showed Moon with 38 per cent support in a field of 13 candidates, with centrist Ahn Cheol-soo his nearest challenger with 20 per cent.

A decisive win by Moon will provide much-needed stability and is expected to improve market sentiment at a time when robust exports have supported a recovery in Asia&#39;s fourth-largest economy.

The winner is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday, after the Election Commission releases the official result.

The new leader is expected to quickly name a prime minister, who will need parliamentary approval, and main cabinet positions, including national security and finance ministers, which do not need parliamentary confirmation.

&#39;New Era&#39;

The election is being closely watched by allies and neighbours at a time of high tension over North Korea&#39;s accelerating development of weapons since it conducted its fourth nuclear test in January last year. It conducted a fifth test in September and is believed ready for another.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump has vowed to stop North Korea developing a nuclear missile that can hit the United States.

North Korea would be keen to see a Moon victory. Its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary on Monday the time had come to put confrontation behind by ending conservative rule in the South.

&quot;We as the same race should gather our strength to open a new era of independent reunification. To do so,&nbsp;the puppet conservative group&rsquo;s move to remain in power should be definitely crushed,&quot; it said.

The new president will also face the challenge of defusing tension with China, which is angry about South Korea&#39;s decision to deploy a U.S. anti-missile system that China sees as a threat.

One in every four voters cast ballots in early voting last week and officials think higher participation by younger people could drive turnout to the highest in three decades.

Park had decided not to vote, despite having the right to do as she has not been convicted, media reported. An official at the detention centre where she is being held declined to comment, citing her privacy.

The polls open at 6 am (2100 GMT on Monday) and close at 8 pm&nbsp;(1100 GMT).

(Reuters)

The winner is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday, after the Election Commission releases the official result.

South Koreans go to the polls on Tuesday to elect a new leader, looking to move on from a corruption scandal that brought down former President Park Geun-hye and shook the political and business elite to the core. Unless there is a major upset, liberal Moon Jae-in - who calls for a moderate approach on North Korea, wants to reform powerful family-run conglomerates and boost fiscal spending to create jobs - will be elected president. The vote will end months of leadership vacuum. Park was ousted on charges of bribery and abuse of power in March to become South Korea's first democratically elected president to be forced from office. She is in jail, on trial. Park has denied wrongdoing. Moon, who lost to Park narrowly in the last presidential election, in 2012, has criticised the two former conservative governments for failing to stop North Korea's weapons development. He advocates a two-track policy of dialogue while maintaining pressure and sanctions to encourage change. A Gallup Korea poll published last Wednesday showed Moon with 38 per cent support in a field of 13 candidates, with centrist Ahn Cheol-soo his nearest challenger with 20 per cent. A decisive win by Moon will provide much-needed stability and is expected to improve market sentiment at a time when robust exports have supported a recovery in Asia's fourth-largest economy. The winner is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday, after the Election Commission releases the official result. The new leader is expected to quickly name a prime minister, who will need parliamentary approval, and main cabinet positions, including national security and finance ministers, which do not need parliamentary confirmation. 'New Era' The election is being closely watched by allies and neighbours at a time of high tension over North Korea's accelerating development of weapons since it conducted its fourth nuclear test in January last year. It conducted a fifth test in September and is believed ready for another. US President Donald Trump has vowed to stop North Korea developing a nuclear missile that can hit the United States. North Korea would be keen to see a Moon victory. Its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary on Monday the time had come to put confrontation behind by ending conservative rule in the South. "We as the same race should gather our strength to open a new era of independent reunification. To do so, the puppet conservative group’s move to remain in power should be definitely crushed," it said. The new president will also face the challenge of defusing tension with China, which is angry about South Korea's decision to deploy a U.S. anti-missile system that China sees as a threat. One in every four voters cast ballots in early voting last week and officials think higher participation by younger people could drive turnout to the highest in three decades. Park had decided not to vote, despite having the right to do as she has not been convicted, media reported. An official at the detention centre where she is being held declined to comment, citing her privacy. The polls open at 6 am (2100 GMT on Monday) and close at 8 pm (1100 GMT). (Reuters)

South Koreans vote for new leader after months of political turmoil

South Korea&#39;s ousted president Park Geun-Hye was Monday charged with bribery involving millions of dollars over the corruption scandal that sparked her downfall.&nbsp;

Park, whose impeachment was confirmed by Seoul&#39;s top court last month, also faces charges of abusing her powers and leaking state secrets, Seoul prosecutors probing the scandal said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;We have formally charged Park... with multiple offences including abuse of power, coercion, bribery and leaking state secrets,&quot; they said after wrapping up the months-long investigation.&nbsp;

Park is accused of colluding with her confidante Choi Soon-sil, who is already on trial, in coercing local conglomerates into donating a total of 77.4 billion won ($68 million) to two non-profit foundations.

Choi allegedly used some of the donations for personal gain.

Park is also accused of offering policy favours to top businessmen who enriched Choi, including Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong who was arrested earlier and is also on trial for bribery.&nbsp;

Prosecutors on Monday also charged Shin Dong-Bin, the chairman of the giant Lotte Group, with bribing Choi and Park.&nbsp;

Park, 65, has been behind bars&nbsp;at a detention centre on the outskirts of Seoul since her arrest last month.&nbsp;

The scandal prompted millions to take to the street for weeks calling for the ousting of the conservative president. Parliament impeached Park last December amid growing public pressure. &nbsp;

(AFP)

Ousted president Park Geun-Hye was charged with bribery and also faces charges of abusing her power

South Korea's ousted president Park Geun-Hye was Monday charged with bribery involving millions of dollars over the corruption scandal that sparked her downfall. Park, whose impeachment was confirmed by Seoul's top court last month, also faces charges of abusing her powers and leaking state secrets, Seoul prosecutors probing the scandal said in a statement. "We have formally charged Park... with multiple offences including abuse of power, coercion, bribery and leaking state secrets," they said after wrapping up the months-long investigation. Park is accused of colluding with her confidante Choi Soon-sil, who is already on trial, in coercing local conglomerates into donating a total of 77.4 billion won ($68 million) to two non-profit foundations. Choi allegedly used some of the donations for personal gain. Park is also accused of offering policy favours to top businessmen who enriched Choi, including Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong who was arrested earlier and is also on trial for bribery. Prosecutors on Monday also charged Shin Dong-Bin, the chairman of the giant Lotte Group, with bribing Choi and Park. Park, 65, has been behind bars at a detention centre on the outskirts of Seoul since her arrest last month. The scandal prompted millions to take to the street for weeks calling for the ousting of the conservative president. Parliament impeached Park last December amid growing public pressure. (AFP)

South Korea's former president formally indicted for graft

Prosecutors in South Korea will seek an arrest warrant for ousted president Park Geun-Hye, they said Monday, days after questioning her over the corruption and abuse of power scandal that brought her down.

Park, 65, had her removal from office confirmed by the country&#39;s top court earlier this month, ending her executive immunity, and her prosecution has been a key demand of the millions of people who took to the streets to protest against her.

Park is both South Korea&#39;s first female leader, and also its first sitting president to be the subject of a criminal probe while in office.

In December, her approval rating reached a record low of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-presidents-approval-rating-at-record-low-4-9602" target="_blank">four per cent</a>, and when her impeachment was announced South Koreans took to the street to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreans-celebrate-impeachment-of-president-park-9942" target="_blank">celebrate</a>.

The former president is accused of multiple offences including bribery, leaking government information, and abuse of power in the scandal.

&quot;The accused abused her enormous power and status as president to receive bribes from companies or to infringe upon the rights to freedom of corporate management and leaked important confidential information on state affairs. These are grave issues,&quot; the prosecutors said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;A large amount of evidence has been collected so far but the accused is denying most of the charges, and there is a risk of destroying evidence in the future.&quot;

<h3><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/outgoing-un-chief-ban-ki-moon-hints-at-running-for-south-koreas-presidency-10247" target="_blank">READ: Ban Ki-moon Hints At Running For South Korean Presidency</a></h3>

&nbsp;

Her secret confidante and alleged accomplice Choi Soon-Sil is already on trial, and prosecutors said it would be &quot;counter to the principle of fairness&quot; if Park was not arrested.

The statement did not make explicitly clear whether they had already applied to the Seoul Central District for an arrest warrant.

Watch WION&#39;s report on South Korea&#39;s impeached president:

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South Korea&#39;s constitutional court impeaches president Park Geun-Hye. Here&#39;s more to this story (WION)
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(WION with inputs from AFP)

Park is accused of multiple offences including bribery, leaking government information and abuse of power

Prosecutors in South Korea will seek an arrest warrant for ousted president Park Geun-Hye, they said Monday, days after questioning her over the corruption and abuse of power scandal that brought her down. Park, 65, had her removal from office confirmed by the country's top court earlier this month, ending her executive immunity, and her prosecution has been a key demand of the millions of people who took to the streets to protest against her. Park is both South Korea's first female leader, and also its first sitting president to be the subject of a criminal probe while in office. In December, her approval rating reached a record low of four per cent, and when her impeachment was announced South Koreans took to the street to celebrate. The former president is accused of multiple offences including bribery, leaking government information, and abuse of power in the scandal. "The accused abused her enormous power and status as president to receive bribes from companies or to infringe upon the rights to freedom of corporate management and leaked important confidential information on state affairs. These are grave issues," the prosecutors said in a statement. "A large amount of evidence has been collected so far but the accused is denying most of the charges, and there is a risk of destroying evidence in the future." READ: Ban Ki-moon Hints At Running For South Korean Presidency Her secret confidante and alleged accomplice Choi Soon-Sil is already on trial, and prosecutors said it would be "counter to the principle of fairness" if Park was not arrested. The statement did not make explicitly clear whether they had already applied to the Seoul Central District for an arrest warrant. Watch WION's report on South Korea's impeached president: South Korea's constitutional court impeaches president Park Geun-Hye. Here's more to this story (WION) × (WION with inputs from AFP)

South Korea prosecutors to seek arrest of ousted president Park

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Sunday arrived at her private home in southern Seoul two days after the constitutional court upheld her impeachment.

Park came out from the residence inside the Blue House at about 19:00 local time (1000 GMT). A long line of black sedans and vans, carrying the ousted leader and security guards, departed from the presidential office around 15 minutes later.

Park arrived at her home in Gangnam district of Seoul at 19:37.

Two days earlier, the constitutional court unanimously upheld the bill to impeach Park, which was passed by the parliament on December&nbsp;9.

Park became the first South Korean leader to be ousted through impeachment. She was stripped of all executive power and lost the title as head of state immediately after the ruling.

Park was supposed to leave her office on Friday, but it was delayed as her home needed renovations.

The defamed ex-president left no message on her removal from office, according to local media reports. Before departing for her home, Park met with senior secretaries for the last greetings.

Without the impeachment, Park&#39;s five-year term was supposed to end in February next year. She was sworn in as the country&#39;s 18th leader in February 2013.

By law, a presidential election must be held within 60 days as the head of state is formally unseated. The election is highly likely to be set on May 9. 
 
(Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

She left the presidential Blue House after the Constitutional Court removed her from office over a massive corruption scandal

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Sunday arrived at her private home in southern Seoul two days after the constitutional court upheld her impeachment. Park came out from the residence inside the Blue House at about 19:00 local time (1000 GMT). A long line of black sedans and vans, carrying the ousted leader and security guards, departed from the presidential office around 15 minutes later. Park arrived at her home in Gangnam district of Seoul at 19:37. Two days earlier, the constitutional court unanimously upheld the bill to impeach Park, which was passed by the parliament on December 9. Park became the first South Korean leader to be ousted through impeachment. She was stripped of all executive power and lost the title as head of state immediately after the ruling. Park was supposed to leave her office on Friday, but it was delayed as her home needed renovations. The defamed ex-president left no message on her removal from office, according to local media reports. Before departing for her home, Park met with senior secretaries for the last greetings. Without the impeachment, Park's five-year term was supposed to end in February next year. She was sworn in as the country's 18th leader in February 2013. By law, a presidential election must be held within 60 days as the head of state is formally unseated. The election is highly likely to be set on May 9. (Reuters)

South Korea: Impeached ex-president Park Geun-Hye arrives at private home

South Korea&#39;s special prosecutor&#39;s office said on Tuesday it will charge Samsung Group chief Jay Y Lee and four other executives with bribery and embezzlement amid a political scandal that has rocked the country.

Lee was arrested on February 17 over his alleged role in the corruption scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-hye, dealing a fresh blow to the technology giant and standard-bearer for Asia&#39;s fourth-largest economy.

A Constitutional Court ruling on whether to uphold the impeachment, which would result in South Korea&#39;s first democratically elected leader being thrown out of office, is expected next month.

&quot;The five executives will face charges including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas,&quot; said Lee Kyu-chul, a spokesman for the special prosecutor, on the last day of its investigation.

Lee will also be charged with committing perjury before parliament, he added.

The other executives to be charged are Samsung Group vice chairman Choi Gee-sung, president Chang Choong-ki and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd president Park Sang-jin and executive vice president Hwang Sung-soo, the spokesman said.

A Samsung Group spokeswoman declined to comment on the charges.

Lee, the spokesman, said the case against former president Park would be handed over to regular prosecutors with Park remaining a suspect, while signalling other conglomerates may also become involved in the investigation.

Park was impeached by parliament in December after accusations that she colluded with long-time friend Choi Soon-sil to pressure big businesses, including Samsung, to donate to two foundations set up to back the president&#39;s policy initiatives.

The special prosecutor&#39;s office will make an official announcement regarding the conclusion of its investigation on March 6.

(Reuters)

Lee was arrested on February 17 over his alleged role in the corruption scandal involving impeached president Park Geun-hye

South Korea's special prosecutor's office said on Tuesday it will charge Samsung Group chief Jay Y Lee and four other executives with bribery and embezzlement amid a political scandal that has rocked the country. Lee was arrested on February 17 over his alleged role in the corruption scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-hye, dealing a fresh blow to the technology giant and standard-bearer for Asia's fourth-largest economy. A Constitutional Court ruling on whether to uphold the impeachment, which would result in South Korea's first democratically elected leader being thrown out of office, is expected next month. "The five executives will face charges including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas," said Lee Kyu-chul, a spokesman for the special prosecutor, on the last day of its investigation. Lee will also be charged with committing perjury before parliament, he added. The other executives to be charged are Samsung Group vice chairman Choi Gee-sung, president Chang Choong-ki and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd president Park Sang-jin and executive vice president Hwang Sung-soo, the spokesman said. A Samsung Group spokeswoman declined to comment on the charges. Lee, the spokesman, said the case against former president Park would be handed over to regular prosecutors with Park remaining a suspect, while signalling other conglomerates may also become involved in the investigation. Park was impeached by parliament in December after accusations that she colluded with long-time friend Choi Soon-sil to pressure big businesses, including Samsung, to donate to two foundations set up to back the president's policy initiatives. The special prosecutor's office will make an official announcement regarding the conclusion of its investigation on March 6. (Reuters)

Samsung chief Lee to be charged with bribery, embezzlement: South Korean prosecutor

South Korean prosecutors investigating a massive corruption scandal engulfing impeached President Park Geun-Hye attempted to raid the presidential Blue House on Friday, sparking a stand-off with security guards.&nbsp;

It was the first time investigators had sought to search the top security complex for evidence since Park was impeached by parliament in December over the influence-peddling and power abuse scandal.&nbsp;

A platoon of prosecutors wielding a court search warrant and their assistants were immediately stopped by security guards as they tried to enter the premises.

They have no legal means to enforce the search at the Blue House unless allowed in by the president, as the complex is considered a top military security zone, South Korea&#39;s Yonhap news agency said.

A presidential spokesman said the Blue House was profoundly opposed to the search but was willing to present documents and other materials prosecutors wanted to look over.

Negotiations were continuing hours after the prosecution team arrived.

Park is accused of colluding with a longtime friend, Choi Soon-Sil, to strong-arm donations worth tens of millions of dollars from top firms to dubious foundations controlled by Choi.

The president is also accused of using her influence to ensure the merger of two Samsung units in 2015 to help facilitate a father-to-son power succession of Samsung`s founding family, allegedly in return for bribes given to Choi.

The prosecutors&#39;&nbsp;action comes as prosecutors plan to interrogate Park face-to-face next week.

The Constitutional Court has until June to decide whether to approve the impeachment, in which case new elections must be held within 60 days, or reinstate her.

(AFP)

Not even a court order permitted the raid. The president, who is under investigation, needs to give permission because it's a military zone

South Korean prosecutors investigating a massive corruption scandal engulfing impeached President Park Geun-Hye attempted to raid the presidential Blue House on Friday, sparking a stand-off with security guards. It was the first time investigators had sought to search the top security complex for evidence since Park was impeached by parliament in December over the influence-peddling and power abuse scandal. A platoon of prosecutors wielding a court search warrant and their assistants were immediately stopped by security guards as they tried to enter the premises. They have no legal means to enforce the search at the Blue House unless allowed in by the president, as the complex is considered a top military security zone, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said. A presidential spokesman said the Blue House was profoundly opposed to the search but was willing to present documents and other materials prosecutors wanted to look over. Negotiations were continuing hours after the prosecution team arrived. Park is accused of colluding with a longtime friend, Choi Soon-Sil, to strong-arm donations worth tens of millions of dollars from top firms to dubious foundations controlled by Choi. The president is also accused of using her influence to ensure the merger of two Samsung units in 2015 to help facilitate a father-to-son power succession of Samsung`s founding family, allegedly in return for bribes given to Choi. The prosecutors' action comes as prosecutors plan to interrogate Park face-to-face next week. The Constitutional Court has until June to decide whether to approve the impeachment, in which case new elections must be held within 60 days, or reinstate her. (AFP)

Prosecutors stopped from raiding South Korea's presidential house

South Korea&#39;s special prosecutor&#39;s office said on Sunday it will decide whether to seek an arrest warrant against Samsung Group leader Jay Y Lee on Monday.

Spokesman for the special prosecutor Lee Kyu-chul told reporters during a briefing investigators will also decide whether to seek arrest warrants against other Samsung Group executives at the same time as when it makes a decision on Lee, named a suspect in an investigation into whether the country&#39;s top conglomerate paid bribes to pave the way for a 2015 merger of two affiliates.

&quot;We are considering all factors and will make a determination based on the law and principles,&quot; he told reporters.

(Reuters)

They will also decide whether to seek arrest warrants against other Samsung Group executives, spokesman for the special prosecutor said

South Korea's special prosecutor's office said on Sunday it will decide whether to seek an arrest warrant against Samsung Group leader Jay Y Lee on Monday. Spokesman for the special prosecutor Lee Kyu-chul told reporters during a briefing investigators will also decide whether to seek arrest warrants against other Samsung Group executives at the same time as when it makes a decision on Lee, named a suspect in an investigation into whether the country's top conglomerate paid bribes to pave the way for a 2015 merger of two affiliates. "We are considering all factors and will make a determination based on the law and principles," he told reporters. (Reuters)

South Korea prosecutor to decide on Samsung leader's arrest warrant on Monday

Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong has become a criminal suspect in a widening probe into the corruption and influence-peddling scandal engulfing impeached South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics and the son of the Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-Hee, would be quizzed as a &quot;suspect&quot; in connection to bribery, prosecutors said.

&quot;We have decided to question Lee tomorrow morning... as a suspect,&quot; Lee Kyu-Chul, spokesman for the team of special prosecutors investigating the scandal, told reporters.&nbsp;

The affair centres on Park&#39;s secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who is accused of using her ties to Park to coerce top firms into &quot;donating&quot; tens of millions of dollars to two non-profit foundations which Choi then used as her personal ATMs.&nbsp;

Samsung was the biggest contributor to the foundations. It is also accused of separately giving millions of euros to Choi to bankroll her daughter`s equestrian training in Germany in a bid to curry favour.&nbsp;

Prosecutors have for months questioned Lee and other senior Samsung officials. The officials reportedly argued that although they were coerced to offer money, they sought no favours in return and thus the payments were not a bribe.

Spokesman Lee said prosecutors &quot;left open the possibility&quot; of formally arresting the Samsung scion later.&nbsp;

Prosecutors are investigating whether Samsung bribed Choi in order to win state approval for a controversial merger which it sought in 2015.&nbsp;

The merger of two Samsung group units -- Cheil Industries and Samsung C&amp;T -- was seen as a crucial step towards ensuring a smooth third-generation power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong.&nbsp;

It was criticised by many, who said it wilfully undervalued Samsung C&amp;T`s stocks. But the National Pension Service (NPS) -- a major Samsung shareholder -- voted in favour of the deal and it eventually went through.&nbsp;

Prosecutors have raided multiple Samsung offices as well as the NPS in connection with the scandal. The fund -- the world`s third largest pension fund -- is overseen by the welfare ministry.

A former welfare minister was arrested last month for allegedly pressuring NPS officials to vote in favour of the Samsung deal.&nbsp;

Park, who stands accused of colluding with Choi to extract money from the firms, was impeached by parliament last month but denies any criminal wrongdoing.&nbsp;

The Constitutional Court is currently reviewing the validity of her impeachment -- a process that may take up to six months. If the court approves the impeachment, a presidential election will be held in 60 days.

Choi, daughter of a shady religious figure who was close to Park for decades until his death in 1994, is on trial for charges including coercion and abuse of power.&nbsp;

The latest scandal shed light on unhealthy ties between the government and the powerful family-controlled conglomerates that have powered the country`s economy for decades.&nbsp;

There have been frequent scandals in which top managers at the conglomerates, known as chaebol, bribed officials to curry favour.

The founding families of the conglomerates have also become the targets of growing public mistrust. They are accused of running their global businesses with minimum scrutiny by regulators and investors.&nbsp;

The Samsung group -- the South`s largest business empire -- has a vast array of businesses including its flagship Samsung Electronics, the world`s largest maker of smartphones.&nbsp;

The group`s founding Lee family has stepped up efforts to accelerate the power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong after his father suffered a heart attack in 2014 that left him bedridden.

(PTI)

Lee Jae-Yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, would be quizzed as a 'suspect' for allegedly giving millions of euros to Choi

Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong has become a criminal suspect in a widening probe into the corruption and influence-peddling scandal engulfing impeached South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, prosecutors said Wednesday. Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics and the son of the Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-Hee, would be quizzed as a "suspect" in connection to bribery, prosecutors said. "We have decided to question Lee tomorrow morning... as a suspect," Lee Kyu-Chul, spokesman for the team of special prosecutors investigating the scandal, told reporters. The affair centres on Park's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who is accused of using her ties to Park to coerce top firms into "donating" tens of millions of dollars to two non-profit foundations which Choi then used as her personal ATMs. Samsung was the biggest contributor to the foundations. It is also accused of separately giving millions of euros to Choi to bankroll her daughter`s equestrian training in Germany in a bid to curry favour. Prosecutors have for months questioned Lee and other senior Samsung officials. The officials reportedly argued that although they were coerced to offer money, they sought no favours in return and thus the payments were not a bribe. Spokesman Lee said prosecutors "left open the possibility" of formally arresting the Samsung scion later. Prosecutors are investigating whether Samsung bribed Choi in order to win state approval for a controversial merger which it sought in 2015. The merger of two Samsung group units -- Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T -- was seen as a crucial step towards ensuring a smooth third-generation power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong. It was criticised by many, who said it wilfully undervalued Samsung C&T`s stocks. But the National Pension Service (NPS) -- a major Samsung shareholder -- voted in favour of the deal and it eventually went through. Prosecutors have raided multiple Samsung offices as well as the NPS in connection with the scandal. The fund -- the world`s third largest pension fund -- is overseen by the welfare ministry. A former welfare minister was arrested last month for allegedly pressuring NPS officials to vote in favour of the Samsung deal. Park, who stands accused of colluding with Choi to extract money from the firms, was impeached by parliament last month but denies any criminal wrongdoing. The Constitutional Court is currently reviewing the validity of her impeachment -- a process that may take up to six months. If the court approves the impeachment, a presidential election will be held in 60 days. Choi, daughter of a shady religious figure who was close to Park for decades until his death in 1994, is on trial for charges including coercion and abuse of power. The latest scandal shed light on unhealthy ties between the government and the powerful family-controlled conglomerates that have powered the country`s economy for decades. There have been frequent scandals in which top managers at the conglomerates, known as chaebol, bribed officials to curry favour. The founding families of the conglomerates have also become the targets of growing public mistrust. They are accused of running their global businesses with minimum scrutiny by regulators and investors. The Samsung group -- the South`s largest business empire -- has a vast array of businesses including its flagship Samsung Electronics, the world`s largest maker of smartphones. The group`s founding Lee family has stepped up efforts to accelerate the power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong after his father suffered a heart attack in 2014 that left him bedridden. (PTI)

South Korea: Samsung heir to be grilled in graft case involving impeached president

South Korea&#39;s impeached President Park Geun-hye on Sunday broke a month-long silence over her alleged role in a corruption scandal, publicly denying charges of wrongdoing and saying that the accusations against her were &quot;fabrication and falsehood&quot;.

Park also said that she was set up over allegations that she ordered the government to support a 2015 merger of two affiliates of South Korean conglomerate Samsung, a deal which has become central to the investigation.

&quot;It&#39;s completely framed,&quot; she was quoted by local media as saying, without elaborating. Park is being investigated over accusations that she gave favours to big businesses in return for financial contributions to entities controlled by her friend, Choi Soon-sil.

On Sunday, Park denied Choi was allowed to wield undue and wide-reaching influence over state affairs.

In a hastily arranged briefing over tea, the leader met reporters from domestic media in her first event since being impeached by parliament on December&nbsp;9. Park&#39;s fate is in the hands of Constitutional Court judges who have up to 180 days to uphold the impeachment or reinstate her.

She last appeared in public on November&nbsp;29, offering to step down if parliament could agree on a way for her to leave office. Opposition parties rejected that offer and led a motion to impeach Park by a wide margin, joined by some members of her own Saenuri Party. The Constitutional Court is set to begin hearing arguments from both sides.

Park has denied wrongdoing previously but apologised for carelessness in her ties with Choi, a friend for four decades, who has also denied wrongdoing. Choi is in detention while on trial.

&nbsp;

Samsung merger under scrutiny

Park said on Sunday that the decision by the country&#39;s national pension fund to back a merger between two Samsung Group affiliates was &quot;a just policy decision&quot; made for national interest, and that the deal was supported by many brokerage firms at the time.

&quot;I did not have an iota of thinking to help anyone and the thought never crossed my mind,&quot; Park said. &quot;This is not the place to tell you all the details, but what I can clearly say now is that I did nothing whatsoever to favour anyone or collude with anyone to do that.&quot;

The merger in 2015 of Samsung Group affiliates Cheil Industries Inc and Samsung C&amp;T Corp has become a key part of the probe into influence peddling at the pinnacle of South Korean politics. The deal has been criticised by some investors for strengthening the founding family&#39;s control of Samsung Group, South Korea&#39;s largest &quot;chaebol&quot;, or conglomerate, at the expense of other shareholders.

The National Pension Service, which had 545 trillion won ($451.78 billion) under management at the end of September and was a major shareholder in the two Samsung affiliates, voted in favour of the merger without calling in an external committee that sometimes advises it on difficult votes.

Park, 64, is accused of colluding with Choi to pressure big businesses including Samsung to make contributions to non-profit foundations backing presidential initiatives. Hundreds of thousands of people have turned out in central Seoul for ten straight weekends to demand Park&#39;s immediate ouster, but she has defied the call and indicated through her lawyers that she will fight impeachment in court.

Park&#39;s comments on Sunday were more detailed than previous ones, and also touched on allegations of negligence over the handling of the Sewol ferry disaster in April 2014 that killed more than 300 passengers, mostly school children. Park was criticised for mishandling the rescue efforts and questions have persisted about her whereabouts during the seven hours between the first report of the accident and her appearance in the government&#39;s emergency room.

Park said she had remained in the residential quarters of the official Blue House residence on April 16 because no official event had been scheduled, but received reports about rescue operations before moving to the nearby situation room when the magnitude of the disaster became evident.

She denied allegations that she failed to pay closer attention to the rescue because she was receiving a cosmetic procedure at the time. &quot;That is not possible even by common sense.&quot;

(Reuters)

'...But what I can clearly say now is that I did nothing whatsoever to favour anyone or collude with anyone to do that,' said Park

South Korea's impeached President Park Geun-hye on Sunday broke a month-long silence over her alleged role in a corruption scandal, publicly denying charges of wrongdoing and saying that the accusations against her were "fabrication and falsehood". Park also said that she was set up over allegations that she ordered the government to support a 2015 merger of two affiliates of South Korean conglomerate Samsung, a deal which has become central to the investigation. "It's completely framed," she was quoted by local media as saying, without elaborating. Park is being investigated over accusations that she gave favours to big businesses in return for financial contributions to entities controlled by her friend, Choi Soon-sil. On Sunday, Park denied Choi was allowed to wield undue and wide-reaching influence over state affairs. In a hastily arranged briefing over tea, the leader met reporters from domestic media in her first event since being impeached by parliament on December 9. Park's fate is in the hands of Constitutional Court judges who have up to 180 days to uphold the impeachment or reinstate her. She last appeared in public on November 29, offering to step down if parliament could agree on a way for her to leave office. Opposition parties rejected that offer and led a motion to impeach Park by a wide margin, joined by some members of her own Saenuri Party. The Constitutional Court is set to begin hearing arguments from both sides. Park has denied wrongdoing previously but apologised for carelessness in her ties with Choi, a friend for four decades, who has also denied wrongdoing. Choi is in detention while on trial. Samsung merger under scrutiny Park said on Sunday that the decision by the country's national pension fund to back a merger between two Samsung Group affiliates was "a just policy decision" made for national interest, and that the deal was supported by many brokerage firms at the time. "I did not have an iota of thinking to help anyone and the thought never crossed my mind," Park said. "This is not the place to tell you all the details, but what I can clearly say now is that I did nothing whatsoever to favour anyone or collude with anyone to do that." The merger in 2015 of Samsung Group affiliates Cheil Industries Inc and Samsung C&T Corp has become a key part of the probe into influence peddling at the pinnacle of South Korean politics. The deal has been criticised by some investors for strengthening the founding family's control of Samsung Group, South Korea's largest "chaebol", or conglomerate, at the expense of other shareholders. The National Pension Service, which had 545 trillion won ($451.78 billion) under management at the end of September and was a major shareholder in the two Samsung affiliates, voted in favour of the merger without calling in an external committee that sometimes advises it on difficult votes. Park, 64, is accused of colluding with Choi to pressure big businesses including Samsung to make contributions to non-profit foundations backing presidential initiatives. Hundreds of thousands of people have turned out in central Seoul for ten straight weekends to demand Park's immediate ouster, but she has defied the call and indicated through her lawyers that she will fight impeachment in court. Park's comments on Sunday were more detailed than previous ones, and also touched on allegations of negligence over the handling of the Sewol ferry disaster in April 2014 that killed more than 300 passengers, mostly school children. Park was criticised for mishandling the rescue efforts and questions have persisted about her whereabouts during the seven hours between the first report of the accident and her appearance in the government's emergency room. Park said she had remained in the residential quarters of the official Blue House residence on April 16 because no official event had been scheduled, but received reports about rescue operations before moving to the nearby situation room when the magnitude of the disaster became evident. She denied allegations that she failed to pay closer attention to the rescue because she was receiving a cosmetic procedure at the time. "That is not possible even by common sense." (Reuters)

South Korea's impeached president emerges from seclusion, denies wrongdoing in scandal

More than half a million South Koreans marked New Year&#39;s Eve with a massive protest Saturday calling for the immediate arrest and ouster of impeached President Park Geun-Hye.

Candle-carrying and banner-waving protestors marched towards key buildings in Seoul including the presidential Blue House and the prime minister&#39;s office.

Police figures were unavailable but organisers estimated crowd numbers to be more than 600,000.

&quot;Park Geun-Hye step down. Go to prison now,&quot; they chanted.

Parliament voted on December 9 to impeach Park over a corruption scandal in which she allegedly colluded with her friend, Choi Soon-Sil, to wrest donations from large conglomerates to two dubious foundations.

The case is now being considered by the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to rule on the impeachment.

&quot;I came here to help usher in a new year that has no Park Geun-Hye&quot;, Kang Jae-Chun, who was at the protest with his two children, told AFP.

Demonstrators also planned to take part in a midnight ceremony in which a large bronze bell in the city centre is rung to herald in the new year.

It was the tenth protest calling for Park&#39;s immediate departure from office.

But Park, who has been suspended from her duties since the impeachment vote, has remained defiant, declaring she will wait until the Constitutional Court arrives at a decision.

Earlier on Saturday, former health minister Moon Hyung-Pyo was arrested under a court order in a widening probe to determine whether Park and Choi took bribes from businesses including Samsung.

Moon, who is now head of the National Pension Service (NPS), admitted to pressuring the state-run fund to back a controversial merger of two Samsung units &nbsp;-- &nbsp;Cheil Industries and Samsung C&amp;T -- last year when he served as health minister.

The acquisition was seen as a crucial step to ensure a smooth father-to-son power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong, scion of Samsung&#39;s founding family.

Critics said it undervalued Samsung C&amp;T stock but NPS -- the world&#39;s third largest public pension fund and a major Samsung shareholder -- backed the deal, allegedly incurring hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for NPS subscribers.

Investigators reportedly plan to question Lee next month to determine whether he told Samsung Electronics executives to funnel millions of dollars into questionable foundations and companies controlled by Choi in return for NPS&#39; backing.

Lee said at a parliamentary hearing this month he was not aware of the money transfers. 
 
(AFP)

South Koreans called for the immediate arrest and ouster of impeached President Park Geun-Hye

More than half a million South Koreans marked New Year's Eve with a massive protest Saturday calling for the immediate arrest and ouster of impeached President Park Geun-Hye. Candle-carrying and banner-waving protestors marched towards key buildings in Seoul including the presidential Blue House and the prime minister's office. Police figures were unavailable but organisers estimated crowd numbers to be more than 600,000. "Park Geun-Hye step down. Go to prison now," they chanted. Parliament voted on December 9 to impeach Park over a corruption scandal in which she allegedly colluded with her friend, Choi Soon-Sil, to wrest donations from large conglomerates to two dubious foundations. The case is now being considered by the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to rule on the impeachment. "I came here to help usher in a new year that has no Park Geun-Hye", Kang Jae-Chun, who was at the protest with his two children, told AFP. Demonstrators also planned to take part in a midnight ceremony in which a large bronze bell in the city centre is rung to herald in the new year. It was the tenth protest calling for Park's immediate departure from office. But Park, who has been suspended from her duties since the impeachment vote, has remained defiant, declaring she will wait until the Constitutional Court arrives at a decision. Earlier on Saturday, former health minister Moon Hyung-Pyo was arrested under a court order in a widening probe to determine whether Park and Choi took bribes from businesses including Samsung. Moon, who is now head of the National Pension Service (NPS), admitted to pressuring the state-run fund to back a controversial merger of two Samsung units -- Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T -- last year when he served as health minister. The acquisition was seen as a crucial step to ensure a smooth father-to-son power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong, scion of Samsung's founding family. Critics said it undervalued Samsung C&T stock but NPS -- the world's third largest public pension fund and a major Samsung shareholder -- backed the deal, allegedly incurring hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for NPS subscribers. Investigators reportedly plan to question Lee next month to determine whether he told Samsung Electronics executives to funnel millions of dollars into questionable foundations and companies controlled by Choi in return for NPS' backing. Lee said at a parliamentary hearing this month he was not aware of the money transfers. (AFP)

South Koreans protest on New Year's Eve, demand 'Park-free' 2017

North India woke up to another foggy morning Thursday.&nbsp;

Visibility was low in the Indian capital Delhi and cars out on the roads early in the morning had their hazard lights on.&nbsp;

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Punjab: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash">#Visuals</a> of dense fog from Amritsar city <a href="https://t.co/eNIWi4RoFP">pic.twitter.com/eNIWi4RoFP</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/806690118899679232">December 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Six international and seven domestic flights were delayed. One domestic flight was cancelled, taking the total number of flights disrupted to 14.&nbsp;

A total of 112 trains were disrupted; 94 were running late, two were cancelled and 16 rescheduled.&nbsp;

Dense fog and cold were also reported from the states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;

(WION)

Many of the opponents were angry that Park's lawyers argued on Friday that the impeachment had no legal basis

North India woke up to another foggy morning Thursday. Visibility was low in the Indian capital Delhi and cars out on the roads early in the morning had their hazard lights on. Punjab: #Visuals of dense fog from Amritsar city pic.twitter.com/eNIWi4RoFP — ANI (@ANI_news) December 8, 2016 × Six international and seven domestic flights were delayed. One domestic flight was cancelled, taking the total number of flights disrupted to 14. A total of 112 trains were disrupted; 94 were running late, two were cancelled and 16 rescheduled. Dense fog and cold were also reported from the states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. (WION)

Supporters, opponents of embattled Park stage big rallies in Seoul

Jubilant South Koreans celebrated with cheers, hugs and selfies on Friday, after lawmakers voted to impeach embattled President Park Geun-hye over an influence-pedalling scandal that had drawn huge crowds to weekly protests demanding she step down.

The impeachment motion, passed by 234 lawmakers with 56 opposed, suspends Park&#39;s powers and leaves the Constitutional Court to decide whether to uphold the motion and remove Park from office or reject it and reinstate her.

A large crowd of demonstrators gathered outside parliament in anticipation of the outcome greeted the news with cheers.

&quot;I feel great!&quot; said 54-year-old rice farmer Im Chae-jum. &quot;I thought it was going to pass but, either way, whatever happens in parliament, we&#39;ll take Park Geun-hye down with people power. The people won!&quot;

Park&#39;s approval rating stood at just five&nbsp;per cent in a poll released earlier on Friday.

Protesters waved banners and flags as they climbed on a tractor that some farmers had used to block a road outside parliament.

Others took selfies before a large banner reading, &quot;Congratulations on the impeachment of Park Geun-hye; Now let&#39;s lock her up&quot;.

Several people blew horns or held up signs that read, &quot;Victory for the people!&quot;

Choi Ji-young, the mother of a child who died in the 2014 Sewol ferry tragedy, watched the vote from a gallery in the assembly. She was among a group of victims&#39; relatives, who danced and chanted as they left the building.

&quot;I screamed &#39;Hooray!&#39;&quot; said Choi. &quot;This&#39;ll be a chance to get to the bottom of the disaster and hold Park and her close aides accountable.&quot;

The events around the ferry sinking, which killed more than 300 people, mostly schoolchildren, have loomed over Park&#39;s presidency.

Protesters have staged massive demonstrations in central Seoul every Saturday for the last six weeks of the political crisis that rocked Park&#39;s presidency.

The protests have remained festive and peaceful, centred on large, candle-lit rallies that have drawn up to a million people, by some estimates. Another was planned for Saturday.

Park, 64, is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide, both of whom have been indicted by prosecutors, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.

&quot;Now I feel good,&quot; said Choi, holding a red rose wrapped in a yellow ribbon, a symbol of the protests against Park. &quot;She should go to jail.&quot;

(Reuters)

South Koreans celebrated with cheers, hugs and selfies on Friday, after lawmakers voted to impeach embattled President Park Geun-hye

Jubilant South Koreans celebrated with cheers, hugs and selfies on Friday, after lawmakers voted to impeach embattled President Park Geun-hye over an influence-pedalling scandal that had drawn huge crowds to weekly protests demanding she step down. The impeachment motion, passed by 234 lawmakers with 56 opposed, suspends Park's powers and leaves the Constitutional Court to decide whether to uphold the motion and remove Park from office or reject it and reinstate her. A large crowd of demonstrators gathered outside parliament in anticipation of the outcome greeted the news with cheers. "I feel great!" said 54-year-old rice farmer Im Chae-jum. "I thought it was going to pass but, either way, whatever happens in parliament, we'll take Park Geun-hye down with people power. The people won!" Park's approval rating stood at just five per cent in a poll released earlier on Friday. Protesters waved banners and flags as they climbed on a tractor that some farmers had used to block a road outside parliament. Others took selfies before a large banner reading, "Congratulations on the impeachment of Park Geun-hye; Now let's lock her up". Several people blew horns or held up signs that read, "Victory for the people!" Choi Ji-young, the mother of a child who died in the 2014 Sewol ferry tragedy, watched the vote from a gallery in the assembly. She was among a group of victims' relatives, who danced and chanted as they left the building. "I screamed 'Hooray!'" said Choi. "This'll be a chance to get to the bottom of the disaster and hold Park and her close aides accountable." The events around the ferry sinking, which killed more than 300 people, mostly schoolchildren, have loomed over Park's presidency. Protesters have staged massive demonstrations in central Seoul every Saturday for the last six weeks of the political crisis that rocked Park's presidency. The protests have remained festive and peaceful, centred on large, candle-lit rallies that have drawn up to a million people, by some estimates. Another was planned for Saturday. Park, 64, is accused of colluding with a friend and a former aide, both of whom have been indicted by prosecutors, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back her policy initiatives. "Now I feel good," said Choi, holding a red rose wrapped in a yellow ribbon, a symbol of the protests against Park. "She should go to jail." (Reuters)

South Koreans celebrate impeachment of President Park

South Korea&#39;s opposition parties filed an impeachment motion &nbsp;against scandal-hit President Park Geun-Hye on Saturday as a fresh weekly protest was expected to draw a million protesters, organisers said.

The motion, backed by 171 lawmakers in the 300-seat legislature, will be put to a vote in the National Assembly on Friday, lawmakers said.

The joint opposition commands the most seats in the legislature, but will need the support of nearly 30 members of Park&#39;s Saenuri Party to secure the two-thirds majority needed to impeach the president.

&quot;If the impeachment motion fails to get passed because of the lack of cooperation from the ruling party, it must take responsibility for all consequences&quot;, the main opposition Democratic Party&#39;s floor leader Woo Sang-Ho was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency.

Accused of colluding with a close friend who faces embezzlement charges, Park said last week she would be willing to step down in the face of weekly mass protests that have seen millions take to the streets of Seoul and other cities.

But the opposition says Park&#39;s offer, which put the manner and timing of her resignation in the hands of parliament, is an effort to buy time and avoid impeachment.

If passed, the motion would go to the Constitutional Court for approval -- a process that could take up to six months.

The ruling party has called on Park to stand down voluntarily in April, allowing a presidential election to be held in June -- six months ahead of schedule.

Party officials have given her a week to accept the timeline or face impeachment.

The scandal engulfing Park&#39;s administration is centred around a long-time friend of the president, Choi Soon-Sil, who has been dubbed &quot;Korea&#39;s female Rasputin&quot;.

Prosecutors say they have evidence that Park colluded in Choi&#39;s efforts to coerce firms to &quot;donate&quot; tens of millions of dollars to two dubious foundations.

Park has been named as a formal suspect in the investigation, making her the first sitting president to be subject to a criminal probe while in office.

While she retains the presidency, Park cannot be charged with a criminal offence except insurrection or treason, but she would lose that immunity once she steps down.

Massive weekly protests have been intensifying over the past month, with organisers claiming up to 1.5 million people braved freezing temperatures in Seoul last Saturday to demand Park&#39;s resignation.

Activists have called for a sixth protest Saturday in central Seoul, despite Park&#39;s announcement that she would be willing to cede power.

&quot;About a million will come to the rally, more or less&quot;, spokesman Ahn Jin-Geol of an umbrella group of activists organising the rally told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;The people have already impeached Park in their mind. They simply don&#39;t want a criminal hanging around there as a president until April&quot;, he said.&nbsp;

Park on Wednesday approved a lawyer recommended by the opposition-controlled parliament as an independent prosecutor.

The special prosecutor will interview the president and be given 120 days to follow up on the findings of state investigators.&nbsp;

Park has backtracked on earlier promises to make herself available for questioning in a judicial probe.

(AFP)

The motion, backed by 171 lawmakers in the 300-seat legislature, will be put to vote in the National Assembly on Friday

South Korea's opposition parties filed an impeachment motion against scandal-hit President Park Geun-Hye on Saturday as a fresh weekly protest was expected to draw a million protesters, organisers said. The motion, backed by 171 lawmakers in the 300-seat legislature, will be put to a vote in the National Assembly on Friday, lawmakers said. The joint opposition commands the most seats in the legislature, but will need the support of nearly 30 members of Park's Saenuri Party to secure the two-thirds majority needed to impeach the president. "If the impeachment motion fails to get passed because of the lack of cooperation from the ruling party, it must take responsibility for all consequences", the main opposition Democratic Party's floor leader Woo Sang-Ho was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency. Accused of colluding with a close friend who faces embezzlement charges, Park said last week she would be willing to step down in the face of weekly mass protests that have seen millions take to the streets of Seoul and other cities. But the opposition says Park's offer, which put the manner and timing of her resignation in the hands of parliament, is an effort to buy time and avoid impeachment. If passed, the motion would go to the Constitutional Court for approval -- a process that could take up to six months. The ruling party has called on Park to stand down voluntarily in April, allowing a presidential election to be held in June -- six months ahead of schedule. Party officials have given her a week to accept the timeline or face impeachment. The scandal engulfing Park's administration is centred around a long-time friend of the president, Choi Soon-Sil, who has been dubbed "Korea's female Rasputin". Prosecutors say they have evidence that Park colluded in Choi's efforts to coerce firms to "donate" tens of millions of dollars to two dubious foundations. Park has been named as a formal suspect in the investigation, making her the first sitting president to be subject to a criminal probe while in office. While she retains the presidency, Park cannot be charged with a criminal offence except insurrection or treason, but she would lose that immunity once she steps down. Massive weekly protests have been intensifying over the past month, with organisers claiming up to 1.5 million people braved freezing temperatures in Seoul last Saturday to demand Park's resignation. Activists have called for a sixth protest Saturday in central Seoul, despite Park's announcement that she would be willing to cede power. "About a million will come to the rally, more or less", spokesman Ahn Jin-Geol of an umbrella group of activists organising the rally told AFP. "The people have already impeached Park in their mind. They simply don't want a criminal hanging around there as a president until April", he said. Park on Wednesday approved a lawyer recommended by the opposition-controlled parliament as an independent prosecutor. The special prosecutor will interview the president and be given 120 days to follow up on the findings of state investigators. Park has backtracked on earlier promises to make herself available for questioning in a judicial probe. (AFP)

South Korea Opposition files impeachment motion against President Park

Brad Pitt has been cleared after a probe into allegations he mistreated one of his children in a mid-air altercation, the FBI said on Tuesday.

The claims centered on an alleged incident with his 15-year-old son Maddox in September on a flight from France to Los Angeles. Pitt&#39;s wife Angelina Jolie claimed he had struck the boy.

&quot;In response to allegations made following a flight... carrying Mr&nbsp;Brad Pitt and his children, the FBI has conducted a review of the circumstances and will not pursue further investigation,&quot; the agency said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;No charges have been filed in this matter.&quot;

The announcement marks Pitt&#39;s second vindication over the incident, two weeks after Los Angeles social workers cleared the 52-year-old of wrongdoing following interviews with the couple, their children and witnesses.

Jolie, 41, filed for divorce in September, citing irreconcilable differences. She is seeking sole custody of their six children.

Pitt, who won a best film Oscar for producing &quot;12 Years a Slave&quot; (2013), has been in contact with all six of the couple&#39;s children and is seeking joint legal and physical custody.

The reunions were supervised by a therapist as part of the couple`s temporary custody agreement -- mediated by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services -- which was recently extended.

Under the agreement Jolie had physical custody of the children -- three of whom, including Maddox, are adopted -- at a rented LA house.

The A-listers -- given the celebrity moniker &quot;Brangelina&quot; -- wed in France in August two years ago, but had been a couple since 2004.

Pitt&#39;s representative, however, declined to comment.

(AFP)

Park is under enormous pressure to step down over a corruption scandal, with regular rallies demanding she be impeached

Brad Pitt has been cleared after a probe into allegations he mistreated one of his children in a mid-air altercation, the FBI said on Tuesday. The claims centered on an alleged incident with his 15-year-old son Maddox in September on a flight from France to Los Angeles. Pitt's wife Angelina Jolie claimed he had struck the boy. "In response to allegations made following a flight... carrying Mr Brad Pitt and his children, the FBI has conducted a review of the circumstances and will not pursue further investigation," the agency said in a statement. "No charges have been filed in this matter." The announcement marks Pitt's second vindication over the incident, two weeks after Los Angeles social workers cleared the 52-year-old of wrongdoing following interviews with the couple, their children and witnesses. Jolie, 41, filed for divorce in September, citing irreconcilable differences. She is seeking sole custody of their six children. Pitt, who won a best film Oscar for producing "12 Years a Slave" (2013), has been in contact with all six of the couple's children and is seeking joint legal and physical custody. The reunions were supervised by a therapist as part of the couple`s temporary custody agreement -- mediated by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services -- which was recently extended. Under the agreement Jolie had physical custody of the children -- three of whom, including Maddox, are adopted -- at a rented LA house. The A-listers -- given the celebrity moniker "Brangelina" -- wed in France in August two years ago, but had been a couple since 2004. Pitt's representative, however, declined to comment. (AFP)

South Korea President's approval rating at record low 4%

Thousands of protesters braved sleet and freezing temperatures in Seoul on Saturday to demand President Park Geun-Hye resign over a corruption scandal or face impeachment. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Police said 25,000 officers had been deployed across the South Korean capital and roads leading to the presidential Blue House had been blocked as organisers estimated up to 1.5 million people could attend the rally. &nbsp;

Another half a million people are expected to demonstrate in provincial cities.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t think Park would step down voluntarily, but we need to raise our voice as much as possible to encourage parliament to push through with its move to impeach her,&quot; Lee Seung-Cheol, a 23-year-old student, told AFP.

There was a festive mood among protesters, who were wearing raincoats and clutching umbrellas to protect themselves against the cold and wet weather.&nbsp;

Food, placards and leaflets were being handed out, street vendors were selling candles and chairs, and some protestors were dancing to music being blared from loudspeakers. &nbsp;

&quot;I came here because I wanted to show my children that people are the owner of this country, not the power holders,&quot; Shim Kyu-Il, a 47-year-old company employee, said.

The weekend rallies have been growing in size over the past month, attracting an estimated one million people two weeks ago, and are among the largest seen in South Korea since the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s.&nbsp;

So far they have been largely peaceful, with families, high school students, workers and farmers participating, chanting slogans and carrying candles.

Park has apologised over the influence-peddling scandal involving her long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested for fraud and abuse of power, but has defied calls to step down.

Choi is also accused of interfering in government affairs, despite holding no official position.

Park has seen her approval ratings plunge to a record low for a sitting president as top advisers and some of the most powerful companies in the country are caught up in the snowballing scandal. &nbsp;

Choi, 60, allegedly leveraged her relationship with Park to coerce donations from large conglomerates, including SK, Lotte and Samsung, to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.

A parliamentary vote to impeach Park could take place as early as next week as a growing number of ruling party politicians back the opposition-led campaign to oust the president.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Protesters demonstrated in the capital urging the Parliament to push through with its move to impeach her over a corruption scandal

Thousands of protesters braved sleet and freezing temperatures in Seoul on Saturday to demand President Park Geun-Hye resign over a corruption scandal or face impeachment. Police said 25,000 officers had been deployed across the South Korean capital and roads leading to the presidential Blue House had been blocked as organisers estimated up to 1.5 million people could attend the rally. Another half a million people are expected to demonstrate in provincial cities. "I don't think Park would step down voluntarily, but we need to raise our voice as much as possible to encourage parliament to push through with its move to impeach her," Lee Seung-Cheol, a 23-year-old student, told AFP. There was a festive mood among protesters, who were wearing raincoats and clutching umbrellas to protect themselves against the cold and wet weather. Food, placards and leaflets were being handed out, street vendors were selling candles and chairs, and some protestors were dancing to music being blared from loudspeakers. "I came here because I wanted to show my children that people are the owner of this country, not the power holders," Shim Kyu-Il, a 47-year-old company employee, said. The weekend rallies have been growing in size over the past month, attracting an estimated one million people two weeks ago, and are among the largest seen in South Korea since the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s. So far they have been largely peaceful, with families, high school students, workers and farmers participating, chanting slogans and carrying candles. Park has apologised over the influence-peddling scandal involving her long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested for fraud and abuse of power, but has defied calls to step down. Choi is also accused of interfering in government affairs, despite holding no official position. Park has seen her approval ratings plunge to a record low for a sitting president as top advisers and some of the most powerful companies in the country are caught up in the snowballing scandal. Choi, 60, allegedly leveraged her relationship with Park to coerce donations from large conglomerates, including SK, Lotte and Samsung, to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain. A parliamentary vote to impeach Park could take place as early as next week as a growing number of ruling party politicians back the opposition-led campaign to oust the president. (AFP)

Thousands rally in South Korea to demand President Geun-Hye's ouster

South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday (November 23) raided the offices of Samsung Group, Yonhap news agency reported, over its alleged link with Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye&#39;s confidant who has been indicted in an influence-peddling scandal.

Prosecutors also raided the country&#39;s largest pension fund, National Pension Service (NPS), an NPS spokeswoman said. Yonhap reported that investigators were probing its decision to approve the $8 billion merger of Samsung C&amp;T Corp and Cheil Industries last year.

A Samsung Group spokeswoman confirmed prosecution officials had visited the group&#39;s headquarters, but she could not provide further details. The NPS spokeswoman said the raids took place in the city of Jeonju, where the pension fund&#39;s headquarters are located, and in Seoul, but she declined to give details.

Prosecutors in Seoul could not be immediately reached for comment.

Park and Choi are under investigation for allegedly improperly pressuring major conglomerates including the Samsung Group, South Korea&#39;s largest family-run conglomerate, to raise funds for foundations that backed Park&#39;s policy of promoting the cultural and sports communities.

Choi and former presidential aide An Chong-bum were indicted on Sunday and charged with abuse of power, in a major blow to the president&#39;s fight for political survival.

NPS had stakes in both firms and its backing was seen as crucial to the success of the merger.

It has defended its decision in the face of criticism that the deal helped the Samsung Group owner family to cement control of the merged firm at the expense of other shareholders.

(Reuters)

The multinational company was raided for suspected link with Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye's longtime confidant

South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday (November 23) raided the offices of Samsung Group, Yonhap news agency reported, over its alleged link with Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye's confidant who has been indicted in an influence-peddling scandal. Prosecutors also raided the country's largest pension fund, National Pension Service (NPS), an NPS spokeswoman said. Yonhap reported that investigators were probing its decision to approve the $8 billion merger of Samsung C&T Corp and Cheil Industries last year. A Samsung Group spokeswoman confirmed prosecution officials had visited the group's headquarters, but she could not provide further details. The NPS spokeswoman said the raids took place in the city of Jeonju, where the pension fund's headquarters are located, and in Seoul, but she declined to give details. Prosecutors in Seoul could not be immediately reached for comment. Park and Choi are under investigation for allegedly improperly pressuring major conglomerates including the Samsung Group, South Korea's largest family-run conglomerate, to raise funds for foundations that backed Park's policy of promoting the cultural and sports communities. Choi and former presidential aide An Chong-bum were indicted on Sunday and charged with abuse of power, in a major blow to the president's fight for political survival. NPS had stakes in both firms and its backing was seen as crucial to the success of the merger. It has defended its decision in the face of criticism that the deal helped the Samsung Group owner family to cement control of the merged firm at the expense of other shareholders. (Reuters)

South Korea: Prosecutors raid Samsung offices

South Korea&rsquo;s main opposition party voted Monday to seek the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye after prosecutors named her a criminal suspect in a snowballing corruption case. But it remains unclear exactly when Park&rsquo;s opponents will formally try to start the process, a difficult and lengthy one with no guarantee about the outcome.

Members of the Democratic Party voted unanimously in favour of seeking Park&rsquo;s impeachment and setting up a working group to review related legal issues, its spokesman Ki Dong-min said. &ldquo;We have decided to join efforts with civic groups, other opposition parties and even members of the ruling party who want Park to be impeached,&rdquo; Ki said.

He said the party would formally begin the process when it sees the &ldquo;biggest possibility&rdquo; of parliament approving such a move.

Two smaller opposition parties have already said they will seek to remove Park. Even some members of the president&rsquo;s ruling conservative party have come out in favour of impeachment. But their commitment to the process is unclear for now, partly due to fear of a political backlash if the impeachment bid fails.

A failed attempt in 2004 to impeach then-President Roh Moo-hyun backfired badly, with two parties that led the bid suffering a devastating defeat in a general election the same year.

In some ways, the opposition has had its hand forced by the huge outpouring of anti-Park sentiment, which has seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets of Seoul in recent weeks demanding she step down. With Park showing no sign of going voluntarily, the opposition has come under pressure to take a more assertive stance, but is wary of the political dangers involved.

&ldquo;Even if there is great public anger over Park for now, many lawmakers may be reluctant to take such a big risk by walking into an impeachment minefield,&rdquo; said political commentator Kim Hong-guk.

Park has just over a year to run of her single, five-year presidential term, and impeachment could take months, as it requires a two-thirds approval by the national assembly and a similar majority in the Constitutional Court. There are concerns about a backlash from conservative voters who -- disappointed with Park -- would see her impeachment as unwarranted and overly punitive.

On Sunday, Seoul prosecutors said Park had colluded with her long-time friend Choi Soon-sil, who is accused of coercing local firms to donate more than $60 million and of meddling in state affairs. That made Park the first South Korean president to become a criminal suspect while in office.

Choi and a former Park aide were formally indicted on charges of abuse of power and coercion, while another aide was charged with leaking confidential state documents. Park had previously said she would submit to prosecutors for questioning, but her lawyer signalled a change Sunday, saying she would only answer to an independent team of investigators which will soon take over the case.

A sitting president cannot be charged with a criminal offence except insurrection or treason, but she can be investigated and potentially charged once her term is over.

The three opposition parties hold a combined 55 per cent of parliamentary seats -- short of the two-thirds majority, for which they would require the support of conservative MPs.

The scandal has sent Park&rsquo;s job approval ratings diving to five per cent, a record low for a South Korean president.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The impeachment requires a two-thirds approval by the national assembly and a similar majority in the Constitutional Court

South Korea’s main opposition party voted Monday to seek the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye after prosecutors named her a criminal suspect in a snowballing corruption case. But it remains unclear exactly when Park’s opponents will formally try to start the process, a difficult and lengthy one with no guarantee about the outcome. Members of the Democratic Party voted unanimously in favour of seeking Park’s impeachment and setting up a working group to review related legal issues, its spokesman Ki Dong-min said. “We have decided to join efforts with civic groups, other opposition parties and even members of the ruling party who want Park to be impeached,” Ki said. He said the party would formally begin the process when it sees the “biggest possibility” of parliament approving such a move. Two smaller opposition parties have already said they will seek to remove Park. Even some members of the president’s ruling conservative party have come out in favour of impeachment. But their commitment to the process is unclear for now, partly due to fear of a political backlash if the impeachment bid fails. A failed attempt in 2004 to impeach then-President Roh Moo-hyun backfired badly, with two parties that led the bid suffering a devastating defeat in a general election the same year. In some ways, the opposition has had its hand forced by the huge outpouring of anti-Park sentiment, which has seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets of Seoul in recent weeks demanding she step down. With Park showing no sign of going voluntarily, the opposition has come under pressure to take a more assertive stance, but is wary of the political dangers involved. “Even if there is great public anger over Park for now, many lawmakers may be reluctant to take such a big risk by walking into an impeachment minefield,” said political commentator Kim Hong-guk. Park has just over a year to run of her single, five-year presidential term, and impeachment could take months, as it requires a two-thirds approval by the national assembly and a similar majority in the Constitutional Court. There are concerns about a backlash from conservative voters who -- disappointed with Park -- would see her impeachment as unwarranted and overly punitive. On Sunday, Seoul prosecutors said Park had colluded with her long-time friend Choi Soon-sil, who is accused of coercing local firms to donate more than $60 million and of meddling in state affairs. That made Park the first South Korean president to become a criminal suspect while in office. Choi and a former Park aide were formally indicted on charges of abuse of power and coercion, while another aide was charged with leaking confidential state documents. Park had previously said she would submit to prosecutors for questioning, but her lawyer signalled a change Sunday, saying she would only answer to an independent team of investigators which will soon take over the case. A sitting president cannot be charged with a criminal offence except insurrection or treason, but she can be investigated and potentially charged once her term is over. The three opposition parties hold a combined 55 per cent of parliamentary seats -- short of the two-thirds majority, for which they would require the support of conservative MPs. The scandal has sent Park’s job approval ratings diving to five per cent, a record low for a South Korean president. (AFP)

South Korea's opposition party votes to seek President Park's impeachment

South Korean President Park Guen-hye on Tuesday said she was willing to cease some of her powers and allow the new prime minister, as chosen by the parliament, to control the cabinet.

&quot;If the parliament recommends a good person with an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, I will appoint that person as prime minister and allow him to essentially take control over the cabinet,&quot; Park told Chung Sye-kyun, speaker of the National Assembly.&nbsp;

Chung, during the meeting told Park, &quot;If the National Assembly recommends a nominee, you must appoint him and grant him authority and ensure there will be no disputes in the future about his authority,&quot; AFP reported.

In South Korea, the prime minister is a figurehead with the president having most of the powers.

Park&#39;s efforts come in&nbsp;after&nbsp;her aide Choi Soon-sil was accused of allegedly interfering in government policies, vetting president&#39;s speeches despite holding no official position.

Since the scandal broke out, reports of the president and Choi being involved in Shamanism and religious cult have been doing rounds. Choi&#39;s father was Park&#39;s mentor and leader of a&nbsp;now-defunct religious cult.

She had initially nominated Kim Byong-joon, a former cabinet minister as prime minister but withdrew after she drew flak for trying to divert focus from the scandal.

Chung, during the meeting told Park, &quot;If the National Assembly recommends a nominee, you must appoint him and grant him authority and ensure there will be no disputes in the future about his authority.&quot;

Samsung raided

Prosecutors raided Samsung&#39;s offices to find out if the tech firm had allegedly given2.8 million Euros ($3.1 million) to a company co-owned by Choi and her daughter, a prosecutor told Reuters.&nbsp;

Choi has also been accused of allegedly forcing Park to fund two non-profit organisations and then using the money for personal use.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

She is willing to cease some of her powers and allow the new prime minister, suggested by the parliament, to control the cabinet

South Korean President Park Guen-hye on Tuesday said she was willing to cease some of her powers and allow the new prime minister, as chosen by the parliament, to control the cabinet. "If the parliament recommends a good person with an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, I will appoint that person as prime minister and allow him to essentially take control over the cabinet," Park told Chung Sye-kyun, speaker of the National Assembly. Chung, during the meeting told Park, "If the National Assembly recommends a nominee, you must appoint him and grant him authority and ensure there will be no disputes in the future about his authority," AFP reported. In South Korea, the prime minister is a figurehead with the president having most of the powers. Park's efforts come in after her aide Choi Soon-sil was accused of allegedly interfering in government policies, vetting president's speeches despite holding no official position. Since the scandal broke out, reports of the president and Choi being involved in Shamanism and religious cult have been doing rounds. Choi's father was Park's mentor and leader of a now-defunct religious cult. She had initially nominated Kim Byong-joon, a former cabinet minister as prime minister but withdrew after she drew flak for trying to divert focus from the scandal. Chung, during the meeting told Park, "If the National Assembly recommends a nominee, you must appoint him and grant him authority and ensure there will be no disputes in the future about his authority." Samsung raided Prosecutors raided Samsung's offices to find out if the tech firm had allegedly given2.8 million Euros ($3.1 million) to a company co-owned by Choi and her daughter, a prosecutor told Reuters. Choi has also been accused of allegedly forcing Park to fund two non-profit organisations and then using the money for personal use. (WION with inputs from agencies)

South Korea: Park willing to relinquish some power amid scandal

The woman at the centre of the snowballing political scandal engulfing South Korean President Park Geun-Hye is a &quot;flight risk&quot; and has been placed under emergency detention, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Choi Soon-Sil, who faces allegations of fraud and meddling in state affairs over her decades-long friendship with Park, was grilled for hours Monday after she returned to the country and handed herself in.

&quot;There is possibility of Choi trying to destroy evidence as she is denying all the allegations,&quot; a prosecution official told the Yonhap news agency, explaining the decision to hold her for 48 hours.

&quot;She has fled overseas in the past, and she doesn&#39;t have a permanent address in this country, making her a flight risk.

&quot;She is also in an extremely unstable psychological state, and it&#39;s possible an unexpected event could occur if she is released,&quot; the official added.

Park and Choi have been close friends for 40 years. The precise nature of that friendship lies at the heart of the current scandal which has triggered a media frenzy in South Korea, with lurid reports of religious cults and shamanistic rituals.

The media has portrayed the 60-year-old Choi as a Rasputin-like figure, who wielded an unhealthy influence over Park and interfered in government policy despite holding no official post and having no security clearance.

Suggestions that Choi vetted presidential speeches and was given access to classified documents has exposed Park to public anger and ridicule and, with just over a year left in office, pushed her approval ratings off a cliff.

Choi has also been accused of using her relationship with the President to coerce corporate donations to two non-profit foundations, and then siphon off funds for personal use.

Park issued a public apology last week, acknowledging seeking limited advice from Choi on her speeches.

But it did little to assuage public outrage, with mass street protests erupting in Seoul and other cities to demand Park&#39;s resignation.

Park carried out a partial reshuffle of her key aides accused of being linked to Choi on Sunday.

She is considering calls from her ruling Saenuri Party to form a neutral multi-party cabinet to restore public trust and national unity.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea has stopped short of demanding the President&#39;s resignation.

But it is refusing to begin cross-party talks on how to end the crisis until the investigation into Choi has run its course.

Under South Korea&#39;s constitutional law, an incumbent president is exempt from being submitted to prosecution for any criminal offense.

(AFP)

Choi Soon-Sil, a friend of President Park Geun-Hye, is accused of meddling in state affairs

The woman at the centre of the snowballing political scandal engulfing South Korean President Park Geun-Hye is a "flight risk" and has been placed under emergency detention, prosecutors said on Tuesday. Choi Soon-Sil, who faces allegations of fraud and meddling in state affairs over her decades-long friendship with Park, was grilled for hours Monday after she returned to the country and handed herself in. "There is possibility of Choi trying to destroy evidence as she is denying all the allegations," a prosecution official told the Yonhap news agency, explaining the decision to hold her for 48 hours. "She has fled overseas in the past, and she doesn't have a permanent address in this country, making her a flight risk. "She is also in an extremely unstable psychological state, and it's possible an unexpected event could occur if she is released," the official added. Park and Choi have been close friends for 40 years. The precise nature of that friendship lies at the heart of the current scandal which has triggered a media frenzy in South Korea, with lurid reports of religious cults and shamanistic rituals. The media has portrayed the 60-year-old Choi as a Rasputin-like figure, who wielded an unhealthy influence over Park and interfered in government policy despite holding no official post and having no security clearance. Suggestions that Choi vetted presidential speeches and was given access to classified documents has exposed Park to public anger and ridicule and, with just over a year left in office, pushed her approval ratings off a cliff. Choi has also been accused of using her relationship with the President to coerce corporate donations to two non-profit foundations, and then siphon off funds for personal use. Park issued a public apology last week, acknowledging seeking limited advice from Choi on her speeches. But it did little to assuage public outrage, with mass street protests erupting in Seoul and other cities to demand Park's resignation. Park carried out a partial reshuffle of her key aides accused of being linked to Choi on Sunday. She is considering calls from her ruling Saenuri Party to form a neutral multi-party cabinet to restore public trust and national unity. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea has stopped short of demanding the President's resignation. But it is refusing to begin cross-party talks on how to end the crisis until the investigation into Choi has run its course. Under South Korea's constitutional law, an incumbent president is exempt from being submitted to prosecution for any criminal offense. (AFP)

Woman at centre of South Korean political crisis detained

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