This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/01/choi-soon-sil-arrested-made-in-south-korean-presidential-cronyism-scandal

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Choi Soon-sil arrested in South Korean presidential cronyism scandal Choi-gate: excavator rams building amid frenzy of anger in South Korea
(about 5 hours later)
The woman at the centre of a political scandal that has cast the South Korean presidency into crisis has been arrested, hours after she had arrived at the office of local prosecutors to answer questions, according to reports. A South Korean man rammed a large excavator into a gate near the office where prosecutors questioned a woman at the centre of the scandal threatening the country’s president. The woman, Choi Soon-sil, had said she “deserves death” and the excavator driver said he “came here to help her die”.
The attack on a government building is part of a frenzy of emotion in South Korea over Choi, who has been arrested on suspicion of using her close ties to President Park Geun-hye to pull government strings and amass an illicit fortune.
Choi was swarmed on Monday by hundreds of journalists and protesters as she tried to enter the prosecution office. The cult leader’s daughter with a decades-long connection to Park was nearly knocked off her feet several times as the crowd closed in on her.
Protesters screamed for her arrest and Park’s resignation; one angry person reportedly tried to enter the building with a bucket full of animal excrement; and Choi, 60, lost a Prada shoe in the scrum.
Images were shared showing the shoe and the word “Soonderella”, merging Choi’s name with fairytale girl who leaves behind a glass slipper.
“Please forgive me,” Choi said on Monday through tears inside the Seoul prosecutor’s building. Using a common expression of deep repentance, she added: “I committed a sin that deserves death.”
The man accused of running his big yellow excavator into the prosecution office later told officials that “since Choi Soon-sil said she committed a sin that deserves death, I came here to help her die”. He was detained and identified by police as a 45-year-old with the surname Jeong.
Prosecutors are investigating allegations that Choi Soon-sil used her friendship with President Park Geun-hye to influence state affairs by gaining access to classified documents and benefited personally through non-profit foundations.Prosecutors are investigating allegations that Choi Soon-sil used her friendship with President Park Geun-hye to influence state affairs by gaining access to classified documents and benefited personally through non-profit foundations.
Worried that Choi may be a flight risk and could destroy evidence, prosecutors placed her under emergency detention without a warrant, said the Yonhap news agency, citing a prosecution official. Some lawmakers and citizens have called for Park’s resignation or impeachment and thousands of people have protested in the streets.
Thousands of South Koreans rallied in Seoul on Saturday night demanding Park’s resignation.
Last week, amid intense speculation, Park acknowledged Choi had edited some of her speeches and provided public relations help. Widespread reports have said Choi had a larger role in government affairs despite having no official ties to the administration.
Prosecutors are trying to determine the scope of access Choi had and whether she was given sensitive presidential documents. Choi has previously said she helped Park but didn’t know if she was seeing confidential information.
Other reports have contained allegations she misused money from non-profit organisations after pressuring businesses to donate to them.
Park is in the fourth year of a five-year term and the crisis threatens to complicate policymaking during the lame-duck period that typically sets in toward the end of South Korea’s single-term presidency. Park has fired some of her closest aides to try to contain the fallout.
Choi has been close to Park since Choi’s father, the leader of a religious cult, gained Park’s trust by reportedly convincing her that he could communicate with her assassinated mother. Choi’s father denied this in a 1990 media interview.
The scandal has resonated with South Koreans in a way that past corruption allegations have not.
Some of this has to do with Park Geun-hye, who has long been criticised for an aloof manner and for relying on only a few longtime confidantes. That she may have been outsourcing sensitive decisions to someone outside of government, and someone connected with a murky, lurid backstory, has incensed many.
Worried that Choi may be a flight risk and could destroy evidence, prosecutors on Monday night placed her under emergency detention without a warrant, said the Yonhap news agency, citing a prosecution official.
She was taken to a Seoul detention facility, Yonhap said.She was taken to a Seoul detention facility, Yonhap said.
Prosecutors and Choi’s lawyer were not immediately available for comment early on Tuesday morning.Prosecutors and Choi’s lawyer were not immediately available for comment early on Tuesday morning.
Under South Korean law a suspect can be held under emergency arrest without a warrant for up to 48 hours. A longer detention requires an arrest warrant issued by a court.Under South Korean law a suspect can be held under emergency arrest without a warrant for up to 48 hours. A longer detention requires an arrest warrant issued by a court.
Choi begged forgiveness when she arrived to meet prosecutors earlier on Monday.
In an interview with South Korea’s Segye Ilbo newspaper published on Thursday, Choi said she received drafts of Park’s speeches after Park’s election victory but denied she had access to other official material or that she influenced state affairs or benefited financially.
Park said she had given Choi access to speech drafts early in her term and apologised for causing concern among the public.
Thousands of South Koreans rallied in Seoul on Saturday night demanding Park’s resignation over the scandal.
Park is in the fourth year of a five-year term and the crisis threatens to complicate policymaking during the lame-duck period that typically sets in toward the end of South Korea’s single-term presidency.