South Korea's acting president faces calls for impeachment after refusing to extend a corruption probe into his predecessor. Special investigators want an extension and the chance to question Park Geun-hye in person.
Image: Reuters/Yonhap/B. Seung-ryol
Advertisement
South Korea's acting president denied an extension for special investigators probing an explosive corruption scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her alleged associates. The announcement on Monday sparked heavy criticism.
The special investigation team had been seeking a 30-day extension on its Tuesday deadline and the chance to question Park directly. They will now have to decide on Tuesday whether to indict the heir to the Samsung empire, Lee Jae-Yong, and multiple other suspects.
The special prosecutors were probing a wide range of allegations, including claims that Samsung bribed Park confidante Choi Soon-Sil to win state approval for a controversial merger of two of its units.
South Korea's Constitutional Court will decide in March whether to approve the impeachment of President Park Geun-hyeImage: Reuters/A. Young-joon
Acting President Hwang Kyo-Ahn, who is standing in for Park while the Constitutional Court decides whether to approve Park's impeachment, decided the inquiry should return to ordinary prosecutors.
Despite the impeachment of President Park, the political crisis in S. Korea is far from over. While the protesters continue to demand Park's resignation, the scandal has spilled over into the highest levels of business.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/L. Jin-man
Extortion and manipulation
On Monday, a Danish court extended the detention of Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the centre of a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of Park Geun-hye, South Korea's president. Choi is accused of influencing government policy and getting rich through extortion and manipulation.
Image: Reuters/K. Hong-Ji
South Korea's 'Rasputin'
Choi is in custody on charges of meddling in state affairs without holding a government position and using her connections with the president to extort vast sums of money from many of South Korea's best-known companies. Beyond the legal charges, she is being blamed for both effectively bringing down the government of President Park and leaving her reputation and political legacy in tatters.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/Chung Sung-Jun
Defiance
Last month, Park did not turn up to testify in a court case which will decide her future. The president was impeached over a multifaceted corruption scandal in December.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Yonhap
Fall from grace
After her impeachment, Park Geun-hye is regarded both as a perpetrator and a victim. Her future is uncertain as the country struggles to recover from a political scandal.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Jeon Heon-Kyun
Calls for early elections
Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets since the start of the corruption scandal, calling on President Park to step down. South Korea's Constitutional Court is deciding whether to formally unseat Park or restore her power. If she is forced out, a new election would be held within two months to choose her successor.
Image: Reuters/K. Hong-Ji
Scandal reaches top of the 'chaebols'
South Korea's corruption scandal has spilled over into the highest levels of business. The vice-chairman of Samsung, Lee Jae-yong, was questioned last month by investigators who are seeking evidence that he paid bribes to Choi Soon-sil. Given the economic and political importance of Samsung in South Korea, if Lee is indicted, it could be on the same level of President Park's impeachment.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Yeon-Je
The split
In December, a group of lawmakers from South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party abandoned Park to form a new party, tentatively named the New Conservative Party for Reform (NCPR). The party infighting is another blow to Park.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/EPA/Yonhap/YNA
Ban drops out of presidential race
Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has declared that he won't run for South Korea's presidency. He had been expected to seek the position after a corruption scandal saw President Park impeached. The newly-formed NCPR was hoping that Ban would join their ranks.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/A.Young-joon
8 images1 | 8
Now facing impeachment himself
Lee Kyu-chul, a spokesman for the investigation team, described Hwang's decision as "very regrettable."
"The special prosecutor's office regrets that the in-person questioning of the president could not happen and is deeply disappointed by the outcome," Lee said.
South Korea's two main opposition parties said they would seek the impeachment of Hwang.
The main opposition Democratic party called the acting president's decision "a historic atrocity that dumped cold water on people's expectations."
His decision showed he's trying "to become Park's shield to protect her and her associates," the party's leader, Choo Mi-ae, said.
Faced with weeks of massive street protests, Park had approved the investigation led by independent counsel Park Young-soo. In December, she was impeached by parliament over allegations she colluded with her longtime confidante to extort money from companies.
The team arrested many high-profile figures, including former Park administration officials. Park avoided direct investigation because of a law that gives a sitting leader immunity from prosecution.
In a statement released on Monday Park told the Constitutional Court that she did not advance her own interests while in office. Park also reiterated that she also never received improper requests from Samsung Group or made wrongful demands of the conglomerate.
