The special prosecutor’s team investigating President Park Geun-hye’s corruption scandal has executed an arrest writ issued against Park’s close friend Choi Soon-sil for interrogation, who had been in custody under charges of extorting money from business groups using ties with the president.

The execution took place on Wednesday, following the Seoul Central District Court‘s issuance of the warrant earlier at the request of the probe team’s independent counsel Park Young-soo. Choi had declined to follow the investigator’s summons six times in a row since she was detained, citing health issues and a “repressive investigation” as reasons. 


With the writ valid for 48 hours from execution, the probe team took Choi from the detention center near Seoul to their office for questioning.

The 60-year-old suspect in a gray prison uniform who appeared before the investigation office building in southern Seoul at 11:00 a.m, claimed to the surrounding reporters that she is “being forced to make confessions” by the probe team and that she is the victim in the case.

Choi, indicted for abuse of power, coercion, attempted coercion and attempted fraud last year, allegedly extorted 77.4 billion won ($64.7 million) from 50 business groups, including Samsung, for the Mir and K-Sports foundations operated by Choi.

The scandal led to President Park’s being impeached last December, as state prosecutors saw her as a key player in creating the troubled foundations. Park’s powers have been suspended since then as the Constitutional Court is now reviewing the impeachment motion passed by the National Assembly whether to end her presidency.

The probe team also alleges that Choi’s only daughter Chung Yoo-ra was illegally admitted to the elite Ewha Womans University and received special favors in grading despite her missing most of the classes. The favors were allegedly made in exchange for state subsidies and support from Park’s administration.

Earlier this week, the probe team requested to the local court the arrest warrant against Choi with regard to the irregularities committed in the course of Chung’s admission.

The law states that prosecutors can summon suspects in custody should there be newly found allegations linked to the suspects. They request an arrest warrant if suspects refuse to follow.

It is speculated, however, that Choi will remain uncooperative to the investigators over the case, or at least deny all the allegations involving her alleged peddling-influence on state affairs.

“Not unless she wants to reveal something in favor of her criminal trials, it is most likely that she will keep her mouth shut or refuse to answer during the interrogation,” a lawyer with knowledge of the state probe told The Korea Herald on condition of anonymity because the case is still on going.

Lee Kyu-chul, a spokesman for the special prosecutors‘ office, refused to comment on whether Choi keeps silent over the ongoing questioning at the office during a press briefing on Wednesday, but said it would not make much of a difference to the probe team’s investigation.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)