S Korean president sidesteps questions

SOUTH Korean President Park Geun-hye will not answer questions from prosecutors over a snowballing influence-peddling scandal rocking her presidency, her lawyer said yesterday.

Prosecutors describe Park and her secret confidante, Choi Soonsil, as co-culprits in the scandal. They are accused of coercing top Seoul firms to donate over $60 million to non-profit foundations, some of which Choi allegedly used for personal gain. Choi was charged last week with coercion and abuse of power.

A parliamentary vote to impeach her could take place as early as this week as a growing number of ruling party politicians back the opposition-led campaign to oust the president.

Park earlier vowed to cooperate “sincerely” with the legal probe but has rejected a series of requests in recent weeks by prosecutors to make herself available for questioning.

But Park – the first South Korean president to become a criminal suspect while in office – is too busy handling state affairs and preparing a legal defence against the mounting accusations, Park’s lawyer Yoo Young-ha said.

Seoul prosecutors gave Park an ultimatum last week, saying today is the deadline for questioning before a powerful independent team of investigators takes over the probe in December.

Justice Minister Kim Hyunwoong offered his resignation last week as tension grew between the presidential office and the prosecutors. Park yesterday accepted the resignation.