By Kim Se-jeong
A court in Seoul approved on Friday an extended arrest warrant for Choi Soon-sil, former President Park Geun-hye’s confidant who is on trial for corruption charges.
The Seoul Central District Court did the same for An Chong-bum, a former presidential secretary also on trial in connection with the corruption scandal.
The court said the two present a flight risk if released. The two were supposed to be freed at the end of this month.
An requested a month of freedom for medical reasons. The corrections office said he suffered spinal pain and wished to have surgery.
Choi and An were caught in one of Korea’s worst political scandals that removed the president from power.
Choi was charged with influencing Park and her associates in the presidential office to pocket money, while An was charged with assisting Choi knowing it would only benefit Choi personally.
The scandal took angry citizens to the streets and prompted the Constitutional Court to impeach the former president. Park is now in jail, on trial for corruption.