South Korean president risks scandal probe

A snowballing political scandal moved closer to embattled South Korean President Park Geun-Hye yesterday, with her newly nominated prime minister warning she could face a probe, hours after prosecutors detained a former presidential aide.

Ex-presidential aide Ahn Jong-Beom was taken into custody late Wednesday over suspicions he helped Park's friend Choi Soon-Sil coerce companies into donating large sums to dubious non-profit foundations that she then used for personal gains, Yonhap said.

Ahn, who was dismissed on Sunday, is the second person to be taken into emergency detention after Choi was held Monday for questioning in the influence-peddling scandal.

Park is scrambling to deflect rising public anger over suggestions that Choi -- the daughter of a shadowy religious figure -- vetted presidential speeches, had access to classified documents, and used her influence for personal enrichment.

"Everyone including the president is equal before the law," new prime minister nominee Kim Byong-Joon declared at a press conference.

"My position is that it is (legally) possible to interrogate and investigate" a sitting president, he said.

Under South Korea's constitution, the incumbent president may not be charged with a criminal offence except insurrection or treason.

But many argue the sitting president can be probed by prosecutors and then charged after leaving office.

Justice Minister Kim Hyun-Woong also told parliament yesterday that prosecutors could question Park, if the ongoing investigation required it.