SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — The impeachment trial of South Korea’s President Park Geun-Hye got under way Thursday, with her lawyers arguing there is no evidence to back the corruption allegations that threaten to force her from office. Parliament voted to impeach Park last month over an influence-peddling scandal that has brought hundreds of thousands of protesters onto the streets every week demanding her removal. Park is accused of colluding with a longtime friend, Choi […]
Tag: Park Geun-hye
South Korea pension chief admits pushing Samsung deal in Park probe
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea’s National Pension Service chief admitted to pressuring the state-run fund to back a controversial merger of two Samsung units, prosecutors said Thursday during a widening probe into a corruption scandal engulfing impeached President Park Geun-Hye. Park is accused of colluding with long-time confidant Choi Soon-Sil to strong-arm companies like Samsung into handing over tens of millions of dollars to dubious foundations which Choi controlled. As part of the […]
Impeachment flags off early race for S. Korea presidency
by Hwang Sunghee Agence France Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — The impeachment of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye has set off an early scramble among her potential successors, even before the final decision has been made to remove her from office. While some have openly announced their intention to run, others have been more circumspect — resulting in a “phony campaign” where the declared and undeclared protagonists skirmish without really joining battle. On paper, […]
Japan, China, S. Korea summit postponed on Park woes
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan is postponing a summit with China and South Korea, the government said Tuesday, after the impeachment of South Korean President President Park Geun-Hye. The Asian powers were planning to hold an annual trilateral gathering this month in Japan, which is the rotating chair. South Korea’s parliament voted Friday to impeach Park, who is engulfed in a scandal over her friendship with a long-time confidante who has been charged with meddling […]
S. Korea lawmakers cast votes on impeachment motion
by Park Chan-Kyong SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean lawmakers began voting Friday on an impeachment motion to strip President Park Geun-Hye of her sweeping executive powers over a corruption scandal that has paralysed her administration and triggered massive street protests. Members of the 300-seat national assembly cast anonymous, paper ballots that will be counted manually, with a two-thirds majority required for the motion to pass. “We have to make a historic decision while […]
Impeachment day for S. Korea’s president
by Park Chan-Kyong Agence France-Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, once known as the “Queen of Elections”, faced an act of attempted political regicide Friday as lawmakers gathered to vote on a motion calling for her impeachment. Engulfed by a corruption scandal that has transfixed the nation and paralysed her administration, Park must now confront the prospect of going down as the first democratically-elected South Korean president to be kicked […]
S. Korea opposition to file impeachment motion
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea’s three opposition parties said they would file an impeachment motion Friday against beleaguered President Park Geun-Hye, and push for a national assembly vote next week. Accused of colluding with a close friend who faces embezzlement charges, Park said last week she would be willing to step down in the face of weekly mass protests that have seen millions take to the streets of Seoul and other cities. The […]
S. Korean ruling party urges Park to quit in April
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea’s ruling party on Thursday urged scandal-hit President Park Geun-Hye to step down in April next year, giving her a week to accept their ultimatum or risk impeachment. Park this week said she would be willing to step down early after coming under huge pressure to quit over an influence peddling scandal that has drawn more than a million people onto the streets in protest. The ruling Saenuri Party’s 128 […]
S. Korea president says willing to leave office early
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea’s scandal-hit President Park Geun-Hye said Tuesday she was willing to stand down early and would let parliament decide on her fate. “I will leave the issue of my departure, including the (possible) reduction of my term in office, to a decision by the National Assembly”, she said in a speech carried live on television. “Once lawmakers come up with measures to transfer power in a way that minimises any […]
S. Korea’s main opposition moves toward Park impeachment
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — The impeachment of South Korea’s embattled President Park Guen-Hye in a snowballing corruption case inched closer Monday when the main opposition party said it was examining its options. The move comes the day after prosecutors named Park a criminal suspect in a major influence-peddling case, tightening the noose on an already hugely unpopular leader. “We will immediately review the timing and methods of impeachment and set up a subcommittee to […]
‘Million’-strong protest tells South Korea president to quit
by Park Chan-Kyong / Hwang Sunghee SEOUL, South Korea | AFP |– Pressure on South Korea’s scandal-hit president to resign escalated sharply Saturday, with organisers claiming a million-strong turnout at one of the largest — and loudest — anti-government protests the country has ever witnessed. Chanting “Step down Park Geun-Hye!” enormous crowds, including high school students, Catholic nuns, labourers, farmers, retirees and young couples with babies, massed in the streets of central Seoul in […]
S. Korean president risks probe, new PM nominee warns
by Park Chan-Kyong SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — A snowballing political scandal moved closer to embattled South Korean President Park Geun-Hye on Thursday, with her newly nominated prime minister warning she could face a probe, hours after prosecutors detained a former presidential aide. Ahn Jong-Beom was detained late Wednesday over suspicions that he helped Park’s friend Choi Soon-Sil coerce companies into donating large sums to dubious non-profit foundations that she then used for personal gains, […]





