South Korean President Park Geun-Hye was fired by the country&#39;s top court on Friday, as it upheld her impeachment by parliament over a wide-ranging corruption scandal.

The unanimous decision brought to a climax months of political turmoil that brought millions of people onto the streets in weekly protests, and triggers a new presidential election to be held within 60 days.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
South Korea constitutional court dismisses impeached president Park Geun-hye: AFP <a href="https://t.co/YuddRYm1R2">pic.twitter.com/YuddRYm1R2</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/840026146158796801">March 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

That will offer South Korea a chance to draw a line under the scandal, which has occupied its attention for months, even as North Korea has unleashed new missile launches and threats that have raised international alarm.

Park, the country&#39;s first female president, also becomes its first leader to be removed by impeachment. She is obliged to leave the Blue House and loses her executive immunity from prosecution.

Her actions &quot;seriously impaired the spirit of representative democracy and the rule of law,&quot; constitutional court chief justice Lee Jung-Mi said. &quot;President Park Geun-Hye&hellip; has been dismissed.&quot;

Rival groups of supporters and opponents watched as the verdict was read out live on television.

Anti-Park demonstrators erupted with joy when the verdict was read out, cheering and hugging each other, some shedding tears. &quot;We won, we won,&quot; they chanted.

&quot;I am so pleased that I cannot hold back tears,&quot; said Shin Seo-Young, 43, clasping her friend. &quot;This is a sweet revenge.&quot;

A few hundred metres away, and separated by a huge police presence, the president&#39;s flag-waving supporters were stunned.&nbsp;

&quot;We don&#39;t accept this decision,&quot; said Cho Bong-Am, 60, a kindergarten operator. &quot;We will take to the streets to fight to the end.&quot;&nbsp;

A few minor scuffles broke out as the largely older pro-Park crowd sought to register their dissent, but were rapidly brought under control.

Rule of law

Park was found to have broken the law by allowing her friend Choi Soon-Sil -- who is already on trial for abuse of power -- to meddle in state affairs&nbsp;and breached rules on public servants&#39; activities.&nbsp;

&quot;Park&#39;s breaching of the constitution and the laws betrayed the trust of the people,&quot; said judge Lee, describing her actions as &quot;a serious and unacceptable violation of the laws&quot;.

The president &quot;completely concealed Choi&#39;s meddling in state affairs and denied it whenever suspicions over the act emerged and even criticised those who raised the suspicions.&quot;

One of Park&#39;s lawyers expressed &quot;strong regrets&quot; over the verdict.

But Kwon Seong-Dong, a lawmaker and a member of the parliamentary indictment committee, said the verdict confirmed the rule of law and that &quot;all people including the president are equal in front of the law&quot;.&nbsp;

And Park&#39;s own Liberty Korea party apologised, with its interim leader saying it &quot;failed to protect the dignity and pride of South Korea&quot;.

&#39;Wise decision&#39;

Park, the daughter of a late army-backed dictator, secured the highest vote share of any candidate in the democratic era when she was elected in 2012.

But her aloof style and a series of controversies, coupled with mounting economic and social frustrations, saw her ratings plunge and millions take to the streets to demand her removal.

She was impeached by parliament in December on charges including bribery and abuse of power, and an overwhelming majority of South Koreans -- around 77 percent -- supported Park&#39;s removal in opinion polls.

She repeatedly apologised for the impact of the scandal&nbsp;but rejected all allegations of wrongdoing when she submitted a written statement to the court&#39;s last hearing in February.

&quot;I&#39;ve never sought private gains or abused power as president... I plead with the court to make a wise decision,&quot; she said.

With the corruption crisis resolved, South Korea must now turn its attention to the troublesome North, whose recent provocations pose a challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed to reign in the regime.

China, concerned over an American missile-defence system being rolled out in the South, has urged compromise including the scrapping of annual US-South Korean military exercises that infuriate Pyongyang.

Thousands of US troops are stationed in the South, and State Department spokesman Mark Toner said it would &quot;continue to meet all our alliance commitments, especially with respect to defending against the threat from North Korea.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The impeachment, he added, was a &quot;domestic issue&quot; and the US had no position on it. &quot;It is up to the Korean people and their democratic institutions to determine the future of their country, and we respect their decisions.&quot;

Washington looked forward to a &quot;productive relationship with whomever the people of South Korea elect to be their next president&quot;, he said.&lrm;

The presidential election is expected to be held on May 9. The front-runner is Moon Jae-In, former leader of the opposition Democratic Party, who had the support of 36.1 percent in a Realmeter poll released on Thursday.

(AFP)

A new presidential election will now have to be held within 60 days

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye was fired by the country's top court on Friday, as it upheld her impeachment by parliament over a wide-ranging corruption scandal. The unanimous decision brought to a climax months of political turmoil that brought millions of people onto the streets in weekly protests, and triggers a new presidential election to be held within 60 days. South Korea constitutional court dismisses impeached president Park Geun-hye: AFP pic.twitter.com/YuddRYm1R2 — ANI (@ANI_news) March 10, 2017 × That will offer South Korea a chance to draw a line under the scandal, which has occupied its attention for months, even as North Korea has unleashed new missile launches and threats that have raised international alarm. Park, the country's first female president, also becomes its first leader to be removed by impeachment. She is obliged to leave the Blue House and loses her executive immunity from prosecution. Her actions "seriously impaired the spirit of representative democracy and the rule of law," constitutional court chief justice Lee Jung-Mi said. "President Park Geun-Hye… has been dismissed." Rival groups of supporters and opponents watched as the verdict was read out live on television. Anti-Park demonstrators erupted with joy when the verdict was read out, cheering and hugging each other, some shedding tears. "We won, we won," they chanted. "I am so pleased that I cannot hold back tears," said Shin Seo-Young, 43, clasping her friend. "This is a sweet revenge." A few hundred metres away, and separated by a huge police presence, the president's flag-waving supporters were stunned. "We don't accept this decision," said Cho Bong-Am, 60, a kindergarten operator. "We will take to the streets to fight to the end." A few minor scuffles broke out as the largely older pro-Park crowd sought to register their dissent, but were rapidly brought under control. Rule of law Park was found to have broken the law by allowing her friend Choi Soon-Sil -- who is already on trial for abuse of power -- to meddle in state affairs and breached rules on public servants' activities. "Park's breaching of the constitution and the laws betrayed the trust of the people," said judge Lee, describing her actions as "a serious and unacceptable violation of the laws". The president "completely concealed Choi's meddling in state affairs and denied it whenever suspicions over the act emerged and even criticised those who raised the suspicions." One of Park's lawyers expressed "strong regrets" over the verdict. But Kwon Seong-Dong, a lawmaker and a member of the parliamentary indictment committee, said the verdict confirmed the rule of law and that "all people including the president are equal in front of the law". And Park's own Liberty Korea party apologised, with its interim leader saying it "failed to protect the dignity and pride of South Korea". 'Wise decision' Park, the daughter of a late army-backed dictator, secured the highest vote share of any candidate in the democratic era when she was elected in 2012. But her aloof style and a series of controversies, coupled with mounting economic and social frustrations, saw her ratings plunge and millions take to the streets to demand her removal. She was impeached by parliament in December on charges including bribery and abuse of power, and an overwhelming majority of South Koreans -- around 77 percent -- supported Park's removal in opinion polls. She repeatedly apologised for the impact of the scandal but rejected all allegations of wrongdoing when she submitted a written statement to the court's last hearing in February. "I've never sought private gains or abused power as president... I plead with the court to make a wise decision," she said. With the corruption crisis resolved, South Korea must now turn its attention to the troublesome North, whose recent provocations pose a challenge to US President Donald Trump who has vowed to reign in the regime. China, concerned over an American missile-defence system being rolled out in the South, has urged compromise including the scrapping of annual US-South Korean military exercises that infuriate Pyongyang. Thousands of US troops are stationed in the South, and State Department spokesman Mark Toner said it would "continue to meet all our alliance commitments, especially with respect to defending against the threat from North Korea.” The impeachment, he added, was a "domestic issue" and the US had no position on it. "It is up to the Korean people and their democratic institutions to determine the future of their country, and we respect their decisions." Washington looked forward to a "productive relationship with whomever the people of South Korea elect to be their next president", he said.‎ The presidential election is expected to be held on May 9. The front-runner is Moon Jae-In, former leader of the opposition Democratic Party, who had the support of 36.1 percent in a Realmeter poll released on Thursday. (AFP)

Top court fires South Korean president, upholds her impeachment

The impeachment of South Korea&#39;s scandal-hit president, Park Geun-Hye, looked certain Tuesday as dissident lawmakers in her ruling party said they would support an opposition motion calling for her ouster.

The national assembly is slated to vote on the impeachment motion on Friday, with the backing of around 30 Saenuri Party MPs needed to reach the required two-thirds majority.

The ruling party had initially insisted that Park be allowed to step down voluntarily, and had proposed a timeline that would see her resign in April -- 10 months short of her full presidential term.

But a series of massive anti-Park protests -- the latest of which saw up to 1.6 million take to the streets of Seoul on Saturday -- appeared to have swayed the mood of the party&#39;s anti-Park faction.

&quot;Following rounds of discussion, we&#39;ve concluded that the card of the president leaving her office in April has already been rejected by the people,&quot; said a member of the faction, lawmaker Hwang Young-Cheul.

&quot;All preparations have been made that are necessary to ensure the impeachment motion be passed,&quot; Hwang was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency.

According to Hwang&#39;s count, around 35 Saenuri Party MPs would support the motion which, if adopted, would still require approval by the Constitutional Court -- a process that could take up to six months.

Accused of colluding with a close friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who faces embezzlement charges, Park said last month she would be willing to step down in the face of the weekly mass protests.

But the opposition said Park&#39;s offer, which put the manner and timing of her resignation in the hands of parliament, was an effort to buy time and avoid impeachment.

Prosecutors say they have evidence that Park colluded in Choi&#39;s efforts to coerce South Korean companies to &quot;donate&quot; tens of millions of dollars to foundations she used for personal gain.

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 leaves office.

(AFP)

Around 30 dissident lawmakers in her ruling party have said they will support an Opposition motion calling for her ouster

The impeachment of South Korea's scandal-hit president, Park Geun-Hye, looked certain Tuesday as dissident lawmakers in her ruling party said they would support an opposition motion calling for her ouster. The national assembly is slated to vote on the impeachment motion on Friday, with the backing of around 30 Saenuri Party MPs needed to reach the required two-thirds majority. The ruling party had initially insisted that Park be allowed to step down voluntarily, and had proposed a timeline that would see her resign in April -- 10 months short of her full presidential term. But a series of massive anti-Park protests -- the latest of which saw up to 1.6 million take to the streets of Seoul on Saturday -- appeared to have swayed the mood of the party's anti-Park faction. "Following rounds of discussion, we've concluded that the card of the president leaving her office in April has already been rejected by the people," said a member of the faction, lawmaker Hwang Young-Cheul. "All preparations have been made that are necessary to ensure the impeachment motion be passed," Hwang was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency. According to Hwang's count, around 35 Saenuri Party MPs would support the motion which, if adopted, would still require approval by the Constitutional Court -- a process that could take up to six months. Accused of colluding with a close friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who faces embezzlement charges, Park said last month she would be willing to step down in the face of the weekly mass protests. But the opposition said Park's offer, which put the manner and timing of her resignation in the hands of parliament, was an effort to buy time and avoid impeachment. Prosecutors say they have evidence that Park colluded in Choi's efforts to coerce South Korean companies to "donate" tens of millions of dollars to foundations she used for personal gain. 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 leaves office. (AFP)

Impeachment of South Korea President Park Geun-Hye looks certain

South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday asked parliament to find a way for her to give up power and decide when she should step down amid an influence-peddling scandal, but the opposition said she was just trying to avoid impeachment.

Park, 64, had apologised twice previously but until now resisted mounting public calls to quit, even as lawmakers readied to mount impeachment proceedings.

&quot;I will leave to parliament everything about my future including shortening of my term,&quot; she said in a brief televised speech.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Park&#39;s critics argue she wants to evade impeachment and leaving the decision the parliament is just a ruse to delay the process</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Park's critics argue she wants to evade impeachment and leaving the decision the parliament is just a ruse to delay the process" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

&quot;I will step down from my position according to the law once a way is formed to pass on the administration in a stable manner that will also minimise political unrest and vacuum after ruling and opposition parties&#39; discussion.&quot;

The main opposition Democratic Party rejected Park&#39;s offer, calling it a ploy to escape being impeached, Yonhap news agency said.

Park Kwang-on, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said it looked like she was trying to delay proceedings.

&quot;She is handing the ball to parliament, when she could simply step down,&quot; he said.

&quot;She is asking the parliament to pick a date for her to resign, which she knows would lead to a discussion on when to hold the presidential election and delay everything.&quot;

Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, agreed.

&quot;She doesn&rsquo;t want the parliament to impeach her and she doesn&rsquo;t think that the parliament can soon reach an agreement, so she is making things complicated and trying to shift some of her blame to the parliament,&quot; he told Reuters.

Some lawmakers from Park&#39;s own conservative Saenuri party had asked her to resign under an agreement that would allow her to leave office with some dignity.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans rallied for the fifth weekend in a row, calling for Park&#39;s resignation. Organisers said the crowd totalled 1.5 million, while the police estimated the crowd at 260,000.

No South Korean president has failed to complete a term since the current democratic system was implemented in 1987. If Park is impeached or resigns, an election would be held in 60 days to nominate a president to serve a five-year term.

Park&#39;s approval rating fell to just 4 per cent in a weekly survey released on Friday by Gallup Korea, an all time-low for a democratically elected South Korean president.

Park&#39;s friend, Choi Soon-sil, and a former aide have been indicted in the case. Prosecutors named Park as an accomplice in an investigation into whether big business was inappropriately pressured to contribute money to foundations set up to back Park&#39;s initiatives.

The presidential office and Park&#39;s lawyer have denied the accusations.

Park has acknowledged carelessness in her ties with Choi, who Park has said had helped her through difficult times.

Their friendship dates to an era when Park served as acting first lady after her mother was killed by an assassin&#39;s bullet intended for her father, then-president Park Chung-hee. Five years later, in 1979, Park&#39;s father was murdered by his disgruntled spy chief.

(Reuters)

'I will leave to parliament everything about my future including shortening of my term,' the president said in a brief televised speech

South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday asked parliament to find a way for her to give up power and decide when she should step down amid an influence-peddling scandal, but the opposition said she was just trying to avoid impeachment. Park, 64, had apologised twice previously but until now resisted mounting public calls to quit, even as lawmakers readied to mount impeachment proceedings. "I will leave to parliament everything about my future including shortening of my term," she said in a brief televised speech. Park's critics argue she wants to evade impeachment and leaving the decision the parliament is just a ruse to delay the process × "I will step down from my position according to the law once a way is formed to pass on the administration in a stable manner that will also minimise political unrest and vacuum after ruling and opposition parties' discussion." The main opposition Democratic Party rejected Park's offer, calling it a ploy to escape being impeached, Yonhap news agency said. Park Kwang-on, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said it looked like she was trying to delay proceedings. "She is handing the ball to parliament, when she could simply step down," he said. "She is asking the parliament to pick a date for her to resign, which she knows would lead to a discussion on when to hold the presidential election and delay everything." Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, agreed. "She doesn’t want the parliament to impeach her and she doesn’t think that the parliament can soon reach an agreement, so she is making things complicated and trying to shift some of her blame to the parliament," he told Reuters. Some lawmakers from Park's own conservative Saenuri party had asked her to resign under an agreement that would allow her to leave office with some dignity. On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans rallied for the fifth weekend in a row, calling for Park's resignation. Organisers said the crowd totalled 1.5 million, while the police estimated the crowd at 260,000. No South Korean president has failed to complete a term since the current democratic system was implemented in 1987. If Park is impeached or resigns, an election would be held in 60 days to nominate a president to serve a five-year term. Park's approval rating fell to just 4 per cent in a weekly survey released on Friday by Gallup Korea, an all time-low for a democratically elected South Korean president. Park's friend, Choi Soon-sil, and a former aide have been indicted in the case. Prosecutors named Park as an accomplice in an investigation into whether big business was inappropriately pressured to contribute money to foundations set up to back Park's initiatives. The presidential office and Park's lawyer have denied the accusations. Park has acknowledged carelessness in her ties with Choi, who Park has said had helped her through difficult times. Their friendship dates to an era when Park served as acting first lady after her mother was killed by an assassin's bullet intended for her father, then-president Park Chung-hee. Five years later, in 1979, Park's father was murdered by his disgruntled spy chief. (Reuters)

Embattled South Korea President offers to quit

South Korean opposition parties on Wednesday rejected President Park Geun-Hye&#39;s offer to share power to overcome a crippling crisis, calling in effect for a caretaker government.

In a major climbdown forced by a crippling corruption scandal, Park had agreed to dump her nominee for prime minister, and accept one chosen by the opposition-controlled parliament.

But opposition parties said Park&#39;s offer was too &quot;ambiguous&quot;, urging her to guarantee the new prime minister would be given a completely free hand in selecting cabinet ministers, handling state affairs and functioning without interference.

&quot;It&#39;s not even worth consideration&quot;, the country&#39;s three opposition parties said in a joint press statement.

Park has come under mounting pressure to step down over the scandal involving a close friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested on charges of fraud and abuse of power.

The charges relate to allegations that Choi leveraged her personal relationship with Park to coerce donations from large companies like Samsung to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.

She is also accused of interfering in government affairs, including in the nomination of senior officials.

Lurid reports of the unhealthy influence Choi wielded over Park have sent the president&#39;s approval ratings plunging to record lows and triggered mass street protests calling on her to resign.

In a bid to restore public trust, Park reshuffled her advisers and senior cabinet members, and nominated a liberal candidate for prime minister from outside her conservative Saenuri Party.

But opposition parties had vowed to block her nominee on the grounds they were not properly consulted.

Park Jie-Won, President of the country&#39;s second opposition party,the People&#39;s Party, said the president is resorting to a divide-and-rule tactic, sowing seeds of discord among her opponents and letting them fight among themselves over who should be the next prime minister.

&quot;We&#39;ve already fallen into the trap set by the president&quot;, the veteran politician told journalists.

&quot;This is also a delaying tactic intended to earn time&quot;.

The presidential Blue House said on Wednesday that the president is sincere in her offer to share power with opposition parties, calling for a meeting with heads of both ruling and opposition parties to discuss details.

(AFP)

They have in effect called for a caretaker government

South Korean opposition parties on Wednesday rejected President Park Geun-Hye's offer to share power to overcome a crippling crisis, calling in effect for a caretaker government. In a major climbdown forced by a crippling corruption scandal, Park had agreed to dump her nominee for prime minister, and accept one chosen by the opposition-controlled parliament. But opposition parties said Park's offer was too "ambiguous", urging her to guarantee the new prime minister would be given a completely free hand in selecting cabinet ministers, handling state affairs and functioning without interference. "It's not even worth consideration", the country's three opposition parties said in a joint press statement. Park has come under mounting pressure to step down over the scandal involving a close friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested on charges of fraud and abuse of power. The charges relate to allegations that Choi leveraged her personal relationship with Park to coerce donations from large companies like Samsung to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain. She is also accused of interfering in government affairs, including in the nomination of senior officials. Lurid reports of the unhealthy influence Choi wielded over Park have sent the president's approval ratings plunging to record lows and triggered mass street protests calling on her to resign. In a bid to restore public trust, Park reshuffled her advisers and senior cabinet members, and nominated a liberal candidate for prime minister from outside her conservative Saenuri Party. But opposition parties had vowed to block her nominee on the grounds they were not properly consulted. Park Jie-Won, President of the country's second opposition party,the People's Party, said the president is resorting to a divide-and-rule tactic, sowing seeds of discord among her opponents and letting them fight among themselves over who should be the next prime minister. "We've already fallen into the trap set by the president", the veteran politician told journalists. "This is also a delaying tactic intended to earn time". The presidential Blue House said on Wednesday that the president is sincere in her offer to share power with opposition parties, calling for a meeting with heads of both ruling and opposition parties to discuss details. (AFP)

Opposition rejects South Korea President's crisis remedy

A tearful and apologetic South Korean President Park Geun-hye said on Friday her &quot;heart was breaking&quot; over a political scandal that has engulfed her administration, adding she will cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation.

Park has been rocked by a peddling scandal involving an old friend, sending her approval rating to an all-time low of just 5 per cent, a 12 percentage point drop from last week, the lowest since such polling began in 1988, according to a Gallup poll released on Friday.

In a brief televised address to journalists, Park said that prosecutors should clarify what happened and that everyone involved should be held accountable, including herself, and take responsibility if found guilty.

&quot;It is hard to forgive myself and sleep at night with feelings of sorrow,&quot; Park, 64, said, her voice trembling.

A prosecution official declined to comment to Reuters when asked if Park would be subject to investigators&#39; questioning, which would be a first for a sitting South Korean president.

The leader of the main opposition party said Park&#39;s apology was insincere.

&quot;The president should remove her hands from state affairs,&quot; Choo Mi-ae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said in a statement, stopping short of demanding Park&#39;s resignation.

Park has faced growing calls from the public and political opponents to step down. No South Korean president has ever failed to finish their five-year term.

A former Park aide, Jeong Ho-seong, was arrested late on Thursday on suspicion of leaking classified information, a prosecution official told Reuters, the second member of Park&#39;s former inner circle of advisers to be arrested this week.

South Korea&#39;s won currency and shares have been losing ground since last week as investors fretted about political uncertainty, and were down on Friday amid mostly flat Asian markets.

Old Friend

Park&#39;s long-time friend, Choi Soon-sil, 60, is alleged to have used her closeness to the president to meddle in state affairs, and her lawyer has said he expects prosecutors to look into whether she inappropriately received classified documents and benefited unlawfully from two non-profit organisations.

&quot;It is very miserable and regrettable that a particular individual is said to have taken profits and committed several unlawful acts, while we are working on a job in hopes of helping the national economy and people&#39;s lives,&quot; Park said, referring to Choi.

Park closed her remarks with a bow and walked towards a row of journalists and repeated her apology. She did not take questions.

&quot;I think she&#39;ll manage to regain a bit of sympathy from the people who used to like her, but the speech itself was not enough to fix the crisis at hand,&quot; said Kim Man-heum, head of the Korea Academy of Politics and Leadership, a research organisation.

Park acknowledged carelessness in her ties with Choi, who Park has said helped her through difficult times.

&quot;It is true that I lowered the wall of caution myself because she stood by me in the most difficult period in my life,&quot; Park said.

&quot;I&#39;ve already cut all the connections in my heart but from now on will completely break my private connections.&quot;

Their friendship dates to an era when Park served as acting first lady after her mother was killed by an assassin&#39;s bullet intended for her father, then-President Park Chung-hee. Five years later, in 1979, Park&#39;s father was murdered by his disgruntled spy chief.

Rejects cult claims

Choi, who has been in custody since Monday, told South Korea&#39;s Segye Ilbo newspaper last week that she received drafts of Park&#39;s speeches after Park&#39;s election victory but denied she had access to other official material, influenced state affairs or benefited financially.

Choi&#39;s late father, Choi Tae-min, headed a now-defunct religious sect and was also close to Park during and after her father&#39;s presidency.

A 2007 US&nbsp;diplomatic cable described the senior Choi as the &quot;Korean Rasputin&quot;, an allusion to a close adviser to the last tsar of Russia and the perceived influence over Park Geun-hye.

Choi Soon-sil has been portrayed in Korean media as having inherited her father&#39;s influence over Park, while local media have also characterised Choi Tae-min&#39;s religious group as a cult and alleged that Park held a shamanistic ritual at the presidential compound.

Park rejected those allegations.

&quot;There is even talk that I fell into a cult or I held a shamanistic ritual at the Blue House,&quot; she said. &quot;I am saying clearly: none of this is true.&quot;

(Reuters)

President Park Geun-hye has been accused of being remote-controlled by her longtime friend and having links with a religious cult

A tearful and apologetic South Korean President Park Geun-hye said on Friday her "heart was breaking" over a political scandal that has engulfed her administration, adding she will cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation. Park has been rocked by a peddling scandal involving an old friend, sending her approval rating to an all-time low of just 5 per cent, a 12 percentage point drop from last week, the lowest since such polling began in 1988, according to a Gallup poll released on Friday. In a brief televised address to journalists, Park said that prosecutors should clarify what happened and that everyone involved should be held accountable, including herself, and take responsibility if found guilty. "It is hard to forgive myself and sleep at night with feelings of sorrow," Park, 64, said, her voice trembling. A prosecution official declined to comment to Reuters when asked if Park would be subject to investigators' questioning, which would be a first for a sitting South Korean president. The leader of the main opposition party said Park's apology was insincere. "The president should remove her hands from state affairs," Choo Mi-ae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said in a statement, stopping short of demanding Park's resignation. Park has faced growing calls from the public and political opponents to step down. No South Korean president has ever failed to finish their five-year term. A former Park aide, Jeong Ho-seong, was arrested late on Thursday on suspicion of leaking classified information, a prosecution official told Reuters, the second member of Park's former inner circle of advisers to be arrested this week. South Korea's won currency and shares have been losing ground since last week as investors fretted about political uncertainty, and were down on Friday amid mostly flat Asian markets. Old Friend Park's long-time friend, Choi Soon-sil, 60, is alleged to have used her closeness to the president to meddle in state affairs, and her lawyer has said he expects prosecutors to look into whether she inappropriately received classified documents and benefited unlawfully from two non-profit organisations. "It is very miserable and regrettable that a particular individual is said to have taken profits and committed several unlawful acts, while we are working on a job in hopes of helping the national economy and people's lives," Park said, referring to Choi. Park closed her remarks with a bow and walked towards a row of journalists and repeated her apology. She did not take questions. "I think she'll manage to regain a bit of sympathy from the people who used to like her, but the speech itself was not enough to fix the crisis at hand," said Kim Man-heum, head of the Korea Academy of Politics and Leadership, a research organisation. Park acknowledged carelessness in her ties with Choi, who Park has said helped her through difficult times. "It is true that I lowered the wall of caution myself because she stood by me in the most difficult period in my life," Park said. "I've already cut all the connections in my heart but from now on will completely break my private connections." Their friendship dates to an era when Park served as acting first lady after her mother was killed by an assassin's bullet intended for her father, then-President Park Chung-hee. Five years later, in 1979, Park's father was murdered by his disgruntled spy chief. Rejects cult claims Choi, who has been in custody since Monday, told South Korea's Segye Ilbo newspaper last week that she received drafts of Park's speeches after Park's election victory but denied she had access to other official material, influenced state affairs or benefited financially. Choi's late father, Choi Tae-min, headed a now-defunct religious sect and was also close to Park during and after her father's presidency. A 2007 US diplomatic cable described the senior Choi as the "Korean Rasputin", an allusion to a close adviser to the last tsar of Russia and the perceived influence over Park Geun-hye. Choi Soon-sil has been portrayed in Korean media as having inherited her father's influence over Park, while local media have also characterised Choi Tae-min's religious group as a cult and alleged that Park held a shamanistic ritual at the presidential compound. Park rejected those allegations. "There is even talk that I fell into a cult or I held a shamanistic ritual at the Blue House," she said. "I am saying clearly: none of this is true." (Reuters)

South Korea: Park ready to be probed in presidential scandal