S. Korea President’s Friend Detained in Scandal

The woman at the center of a political scandal threatening the position of South Korea’s president has been detained. Choi Soon-sil, a long-time friend of President Park Geun-hye, is accused of influence peddling and interfering in state affairs. She was interrogated on Monday after apologizing for an “unpardonable crime”. Prosecutors have 48 hours to decide if they will formally arrest Choi, BBC reported. She was placed under emergency detention late on Monday with prosecutors saying they feared she may destroy evidence and was at flight risk, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. “She has fled overseas in the past and she doesn’t have a permanent address in Korea, making her a flight risk,” a prosecution official told Yonhap. “She is also in an extremely unstable psychological state.” Last week, Park publicly apologized, admitting “certain documents” had been shared with Choi and she had been allowed to edit political speeches. “Choi advised me on expressions in my speeches and public relations during the last presidential campaign and she continued to help me for a certain period of time after I took office,” Park said.