By Park Si-soo
The prosecution has sought an arrest warrant for Choi Soon-sil for allegedly influencing government affairs and amassing an illicit fortune by taking advantage of her close ties with President Park Geun-hye.
The prosecution asked the Seoul Central District Court at 2 p.m. Wednesday to issue the arrest warrant for Choi, 60. The court will question Choi on Thursday 3 p.m. and then decide whether or not to issue the warrant.
The shadowy friend of the President has been in emergency custody since Tuesday.
The Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office said Choi is suspected of influencing state affairs via her decades-old friendship with the President. She is also accused of siphoning funds from two nonprofit organizations -- Mir and K-Sports Foundation -- that were set up with tens of billions of won "donated" by big Korean companies.
Investigators believe former presidential secretary Ahn Jong-beon played a role in "encouraging" companies to invest in the organizations. Ahn was summoned to the prosecution Wednesday.
The prosecution has sought an arrest warrant for Choi Soon-sil for allegedly influencing government affairs and amassing an illicit fortune by taking advantage of her close ties with President Park Geun-hye.
The prosecution asked the Seoul Central District Court at 2 p.m. Wednesday to issue the arrest warrant for Choi, 60. The court will question Choi on Thursday 3 p.m. and then decide whether or not to issue the warrant.
The shadowy friend of the President has been in emergency custody since Tuesday.
The Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office said Choi is suspected of influencing state affairs via her decades-old friendship with the President. She is also accused of siphoning funds from two nonprofit organizations -- Mir and K-Sports Foundation -- that were set up with tens of billions of won "donated" by big Korean companies.
Investigators believe former presidential secretary Ahn Jong-beon played a role in "encouraging" companies to invest in the organizations. Ahn was summoned to the prosecution Wednesday.
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