- Title: Parliamentary hearing on political scandal continues for second day in Seoul
- Date: 7th December 2016
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (DECEMBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FORMER COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, CHA EUN-TAEK, WALKING TOWARD PARLIAMENT HEARING VENUE WITH POLICE OFFICERS CHA AND POLICE OFFICERS WALKING INTO PARLIAMENT HEARING VENUE CHA WALKING TOWARD WITNESS TABLE AND STANDING FORMER SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF, KIM KI-CHOON, WALKING IN PARLIAMENT HEARING VENUE SOUTH KOREAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY'S SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S INVESTIGATION SESSION IN PROGRESS EMPTY SEATS OF SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT PARK GEUN-HYE'S FRIEND, CHOI SOON-SIL, AND 37-YEAR-OLD NIECE OF CHOI SOON-SIL, CHANG SI-HO / CHARCTERS ON TAGS ON WITNESS TABLE READING (Korean): "WITNESS CHOI SOON-SIL" (BOTTOM), "WITNESS CHANG SI-HO" (TOP) FORMER HEAD OF KOREA CREATIVE CONTENT AGENCY, SONG SUNG-GAK (FAR LEFT), FORMER SOUTH KOREAN SECOND VICE MINISTER OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM, KIM CHONG (SECOND FROM LEFT), CHA (THIRD FROM LEFT), KIM KI-CHOON (THIRD FROM RIGHT), CHOI SOON-SIL'S ACQUAINTANCE, KO YOUNG-TAE (SECOND FROM RIGHT), AND FORMER SOUTH KOREAN SENIOR PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, CHO WON-DONG (FAR RIGHT), SITTING SOUTH KOREAN CHAIRMAN OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY'S SPECIAL COMMITTEE, KIM SUNG-TAE (THIRD FROM LEFT), AND SOUTH KOREAN MEMBERS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SITTING CHA (FAR RIGHT) STANDING AT PODIUM, SONG (FAR LEFT), KIM CHONG (SECOND FROM LEFT), KIM KI-CHOON (CENTRE), KO (THIRD FROM RIGHT), CHO (SECOND FROM RIGHT), AND WITNESSES, STANDING AND TAKING OATH CHA TAKING OATH SONG, KIM CHONG, KIM KI-CHOON, KO, CHO, AND WITNESSES TAKING OATH SOUTH KOREAN MEMBERS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SITTING KIM KI-CHOON (LEFT) AND KO (RIGHT) SITTING KO SITTING SOUTH KOREAN MEMBER OF JUSTICE PARTY, YUN SO-HA, SPEAKING WHILE HOLDING DOCUMENT PAPER KIM CHONG FACING DOWN, SITTING HEARING IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF SOUTH KOREAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FLAG OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
- Embargoed: 22nd December 2016 03:18
- Keywords: parliament hearing president Park Geun-hye Choi Soon-sil scandal Cha Eun-taek Ko Young-tae Kim Ki-choon
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Reuters ID: LVA0015BVVZGL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A second round of a parliamentary hearing over South Korea's influence-peddling scandal began on Wednesday morning (December 7) in Seoul.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye's key aides including former South Korean presidential Chief of Staff, Kim Ki-choon, Former Commercial Director, Cha Eun-taek, and acquaintance of Park's friend Choi Soon-sil, Ko Young-tae, attended the hearing to testify.
Choi Soon-sil, however, did not attend the hearing due to health issues, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency said.
Park is accused of colluding with Choi and a former aide to pressure big business owners to pay into two foundations set up to back policy initiatives. She has denied wrongdoing but apologized for carelessness in her ties with Choi.
Park's embattled presidency faces a critical juncture, with parliament expected to hold an impeachment vote on Friday (December 9).
Park said if she was impeached she would wait for a court to uphold the decision, a party official said on Tuesday (December 6), a sign a political crisis could drag on for months. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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