BAD KO REA MOVE
South’s president impeached over corruption scandal
SOUTH Korea’s president was formally impeached yesterday over a corruption scandal.
The move by the country’s constitutional court opens up Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female leader, to possible criminal proceedings.
A number of people close to her have already been indicted. Thousands of protesters, both pro and anti-Park, took to the streets of the capital Seoul as the court sat.
Two people were reported to have died during the protests, which saw hundreds of police surround the court.
A spokesman for Park said she had no plans to make a statement on the matter.
But her party said they “humbly accept” the ruling.
Park did not leave Blue House, South Korea’s presidential palace.
The country must hold an election within two months to choose her successor. Liberal Moon Jae-in, who lost to Park in the 2012 election, has a comfortable lead in opinion polls.
Acting chief justice Lee Jung-mi said Park’s “acts of violating the constitution and law are a betrayal of the public trust”.
Park was impeached amid allegations a friend used her presidential connections to pressure firms into non-profit organisations she ran. Park is said to have been personally involved.
South Korea’s defence minister yesterday ordered the military to be on alert for possible North Korean provocations attempting to exploit “unstable situations at home and abroad”.