Choi Soon-sil to be questioned Monday 3 p.m.

By Park Si-soo

Choi Soon-sil, the central figure in a burgeoning influence-peddling scandal, will be summoned by the prosecution on Monday.

The Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office said Sunday night it would summon Choi at 3 p.m. as a “criminal suspect.” She made a surprise return to Seoul from the U.K. on Sunday morning using a British airline, breaking her earlier stance revealed in a recent interview with a local daily somewhere in Europe -- believed to be in Germany or Denmark -- that she was “too weak for air travel.”

The prosecution has promised a “thorough” investigation of the case, but critics doubt it, pointing out what they claim is the prosecution’s “reluctant” attitude in dealing with Choi and other suspects. Unlike previous high-profile scandals in which the prosecution would take immediate custody of key suspects arriving from overseas at the airport, this time the prosecution showed an “unprecedented” generosity of giving Choi one day of rest before questioning, which is long enough to destroy evidence or coordinate her story with other people involved in the scandal.

This has sparked speculation that Choi's return was decided after a “deal” had been made under the table.

Choi, 60, a longtime confidant of President Park Geun-hye who has no official position, is suspected of having collected a substantial amount of money from Korean conglomerates and illegally meddling in confidential state affairs for years by taking advantage of her close relationship with Park. Her daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, is suspected to have received preferential treatment in admissions and grading at Ewha Womans University.