South Korea president's friend says "sorry" for scandalDecember 26, 2016 - 15:31 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The detained friend of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye, at the center of a corruption scandal engulfing Park's administration, said she was sorry on Monday, December 26 when questioned by a special parliamentary committee, an opposition MP said, according to Reuters. Choi Soon-sil, whom Park has said she turned to at difficult times, denied key allegations against her, including colluding with Park to pressure big businesses into paying money to foundations she controlled, the MP said. "I am sorry to the people of the country," Choi was quoted as saying by opposition Democratic Party MP Sohn Hye-won, who visited Choi at the Seoul Detention Centre and later told a committee hearing what she had said. Choi and former government officials are on trial for abuse of power and fraud and are also under investigation on other charges by a special prosecutor who is probing Park's role in the scandal. The visit came after Choi ignored several summons to appear at parliament hearings. Prosecutors who indicted Choi last month said Park had colluded with her and her former aides to pressure big conglomerates to contribute 77 billion won ($64 million) to foundations set up to back her policy initiatives. Park has denied wrongdoing but apologized for carelessness in her ties with Choi. Park's December 9 impeachment is being reviewed by the Constitutional Court which has up to 180 days to reach a decision. Park has immunity from prosecution as long as she is in office even though her powers are suspended. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |