Scandal-tainted S Korean president takes another hit

Park Geun-Hye

Seoul: South Korean President Park Geun-Hye yesterday agreed to dump her nominee for prime minister and cede control of some state affairs in a major climbdown forced by a corruption scandal battering her administration.

In a significant political concession, Park told the speaker of the National Assembly that she would accept a prime minister chosen by the opposition-controlled legislature "and let him control the cabinet".

It was a double surrender by Park, effectively jettisoning her own choice for prime minister and relinquishing some of her extensive powers to whomsoever parliament puts forward.

Her climbdown underlined just how weakened she has been by the scandal involving a close personal friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested on charges of fraud and abuse of power.