Woman at center of South Korea scandal shouts out her innocence

The woman at the center of a scandal gripping South Korea angrily protested her innocence on Wednesday, shouting that she had been made to confess as she was forcibly summoned for questioning.

Choi Soon-sil, who has been indicted for meddling in state affairs through her friendship with impeached President Park Geun-hye, made the protest at the special prosecutor's office, before being pushed into an elevator by correctional officers.

The dramatic scenes came as the outgoing chief judge of the Constitutional Court urged the bench to wrap up Park's impeachment trial by March 13, when the retirement of another judge will reduce the nine-judge court to seven and could raise questions about the verdict.

His comments were the clearest indication of the timing of a decision on Park, either to remove her from office with an election to be called 60 days later, or for her to be reinstated.

Park was impeached amid the influence-peddling scandal that has engulfed her administration over recent months. If the impeachment is upheld, she will become the country's first elected leader to be removed from office.

Choi was brought into the special prosecutor's office on an arrest warrant after refusing to answer several summons.

"I am being forced to confess committing crimes jointly with the president," she shouted to reporters. "I don't deserve to be treated like this. And my baby and my grandson," she said as guards pushed her into the elevator.

The special prosecutor's office dismissed her protests.

"Regardless of such groundless claims of hers, the special prosecutor will thoroughly carry out the investigation by law and principle," office spokesman Lee Kyu-chul said, adding that Choi was trying to discredit the investigation.

As part of their investigation, prosecutors are looking into Samsung Group's sponsorship of the equestrian riding career of Choi's daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, 20, who was arrested in Denmark after being sought by South Korean authorities.

Chung has been accused of criminal interference related to her academic record and other unspecified charges.

(China Daily 01/26/2017 page11)