Seoul — The woman at the centre of the snowballing political scandal engulfing President Park Geun-Hye has been put under emergency detention after prosecutors said she was unstable and a flight risk. Choi Soon-Sil, who faces allegations of fraud and meddling in state affairs over her decades-long friendship with Park, was grilled for hours on Monday after she returned to the country and handed herself in following mass street protests. "There is a possibility of Choi trying to destroy evidence as she is denying all the allegations," a prosecution official told the Yonhap news agency, explaining the decision to hold her for 48 hours. "She has fled overseas in the past, and she doesn’t have a permanent address in this country, making her a flight risk. "She is also in an extremely unstable psychological state," the official added. The media has portrayed the 60-year-old Choi as a Rasputin-like figure, who wielded an unhealthy influence over Park and interfered in government policy de...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.