South Korean court holds first hearing on Park's case

South Korea's Constitutional Court yesterday began its deliberations on a parliamentary impeachment vote against President Park Geun-hye, who could become the first elected South Korean leader to be thrown out of office

South Korea's Constitutional Court judges during a hearing in the court, in Seoul. Pic/AFP

Seoul: South Korea's Constitutional Court yesterday began its deliberations on a parliamentary impeachment vote against President Park Geun-hye, who could become the first elected South Korean leader to be thrown out of office.

Park was indicted in a December 9 parliamentary vote by a wider-than-expected margin after being accused of colluding with a friend to pressure big businesses to make contributions to non-profit foundations backing presidential initiatives. She has denied wrongdoing but apologised for carelessness in her ties with the friend, Choi Soon-sil, who is facing her own trial.

Neither Park nor Choi appeared in court yesterday when judges decided to admit prosecutors' investigation documents, in an early setback for Park's defence team, which had tried to block them.

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