Chung’s detention extended

COPENHAGEN: A Danish court extended for another month the detention of the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the centre of a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of South Korea’s president.

Chung Yoo-ra, the 20-year-old daughter of the woman dubbed South Korea’s “Rasputin”, is one of the figures in the influencepeddling scandal that sparked massive street protests demanding the removal of President Park Geun-hye.

Ms Chung was detained in Denmark on Jan 1 for overstaying her visa, after South Korean authorities issued a warrant for her arrest. Seoul then sought her extradition.

The Danish Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has said it needs more time to complete its processing of the case and was waiting for the South Korean authorities to answer some questions.

“The detention has been extended until March 22,” a court spokeswoman announced. Ms Chung has denied any wrongdoing.

The equestrian, who has reportedly bought horses and trained in Denmark in the past, has told police that she was in the country because of her involvement in the sport.

Ms Chung’s mother, a confidante of Ms Park, is accused of using her influence to secure her daughter’s admission to an elite Seoul university, with a state probe revealing the school had admitted Ms Chung at the expense of other candidates with better qualifications.

The revelation touched a raw nerve in education-obsessed South Korea. Several professors at Ewha Women’s University, including a former school president, have been investigated for allegedly giving Ms Chung preferential treatment.