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![Protesters hold placards reading "Park Geun-hye step down" as they attend a rally calling for the resignation of South Korean President Park Geun-hye [Xinhua]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/260285144_8-e1478525490885.jpg)
Protesters hold placards reading “Park Geun-hye step down” as they attend a rally calling for the resignation of South Korean President Park Geun-hye [Xinhua]
Park has been caught in an explosive political scandal involving her confidante Choi Soon-sil, who does not hold an official government post but is believed to have seen confidential documents and presidential speeches.
The demonstration blocked a 16-lane highway in the capital, with police saying the crowd had between 40,000 to 50,000 people. Local South Korean media said the protesters swelled to nearly 200,000 at one point.
Prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Choi on Wednesday on charges of abuse of power and attempted fraud, as she has been accused of using her relationship with the President to garner millions of dollars in donations for her charity foundations.
Korean news agency Yonhap reported Ahn Jong-beom, Park’s former senior advisor to Park, was arrested early on Sunday on charges of “abuse of power and attempted coercion” and aiding and abetting Choi.
Presidential aide Jeong Ho-Seong, was also arrested on charges he leaked classified information to Choi.
Park has already issued two apologies that have failed to quell the anger of some Koreans over what they see as an abuse-of-power.
According to a Realmeter poll of over 2,500 adults, Park’s approval rating has fallen to just over 11 per cent in the week ending Friday.
But a Gallup Korea poll showed even worse approval ratings – dropping to 5 per cent, marking the lowest such figure for any South Korean president.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
