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| S Korea sees largest protests against President Park Geun-hye | S Korea sees largest protests against President Park Geun-hye |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Huge rallies have been held across South Korea for what are thought to be the largest protests so far demanding President Park Geun-hye steps down. | |
| Ms Park is accused of allowing her friend, Choi Soon-sil, to manipulate power from behind the scenes. | Ms Park is accused of allowing her friend, Choi Soon-sil, to manipulate power from behind the scenes. |
| The president has apologised twice, but has so far resisted calls to resign. | The president has apologised twice, but has so far resisted calls to resign. |
| Organisers said 1.5 million were in Seoul, and another 400,000 in other regions of the country. Police put the turnout in the capital at 270,000. | Organisers said 1.5 million were in Seoul, and another 400,000 in other regions of the country. Police put the turnout in the capital at 270,000. |
| About 25,000 officers were deployed in Seoul but there were no reports of violence. | About 25,000 officers were deployed in Seoul but there were no reports of violence. |
| The protests, which began five weeks ago, were the largest in South Korea since pro-democracy demonstrations of the 1980s. | The protests, which began five weeks ago, were the largest in South Korea since pro-democracy demonstrations of the 1980s. |
| Those attending on Saturday came from a cross-section of South Korean society, with farmers, Buddhist monks and university students all involved. | Those attending on Saturday came from a cross-section of South Korean society, with farmers, Buddhist monks and university students all involved. |
| "I was watching the news and thought this cannot go on - people really want her to step down but she hasn't," one of the protesters, Kwak Bo-youn, told Reuters. | "I was watching the news and thought this cannot go on - people really want her to step down but she hasn't," one of the protesters, Kwak Bo-youn, told Reuters. |
| "This is the second time for me to the protests, but the first time for my husband and kids." | "This is the second time for me to the protests, but the first time for my husband and kids." |
| Ms Park, whose approval rating has dropped to 5%, apologised earlier this month for putting "too much faith in a personal relationship", and has pledged to co-operate in an official investigation into the scandal. | Ms Park, whose approval rating has dropped to 5%, apologised earlier this month for putting "too much faith in a personal relationship", and has pledged to co-operate in an official investigation into the scandal. |
| South Korea's constitution does not allow a sitting president to be prosecuted, and Ms Park has 15 months left in her term. | South Korea's constitution does not allow a sitting president to be prosecuted, and Ms Park has 15 months left in her term. |
| But now that prosecutors have directly linked her to the scandal, it is possible she could be impeached for breaking the law. | But now that prosecutors have directly linked her to the scandal, it is possible she could be impeached for breaking the law. |
| Prosecutors are expected to bring charges against Ms Choi, along with two former presidential aides. She was arrested earlier this month. | Prosecutors are expected to bring charges against Ms Choi, along with two former presidential aides. She was arrested earlier this month. |
| Ms Choi is accused of trying to extort huge sums of money from South Korean companies, and suspected of using her friendship with Ms Park to solicit business donations for a non-profit fund she controlled. | Ms Choi is accused of trying to extort huge sums of money from South Korean companies, and suspected of using her friendship with Ms Park to solicit business donations for a non-profit fund she controlled. |