S.Korea's Park rejects wrongdoing in scandal, says she was 'set up'

By Reuters/Jack Kim   January 1, 2017 | 02:18 am PT
S.Korea's Park rejects wrongdoing in scandal, says she was 'set up'
South Korean President Park Geun-hye listens to a reporter's question during a meeting with reporters at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, in this handout picture provided by the Presidential Blue House and released by Yonhap on January 1, 2017. Photo by Blue House/Yonhap via Reuters
Her fate is in the hands of the Constitutional Court judges who have up to 180 days to uphold the impeachment or reinstate her.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Sunday rejected allegations of wrongdoing in the political scandal that threatens her presidency, saying she was "set up" and the allegations were "fabrication and falsehood", said South Korean media.

Park said Choi Soon-sil, her long-time friend, was "merely an acquaintance" and denied Choi was allowed to wield undue and wide-reaching influence over state affairs, Yonhap news agency and YTN television reported.

Park met domestic media reporters on Sunday in the first public event since her impeachment by parliament on December 9. Her fate is in the hands of the Constitutional Court judges who have up to 180 days to uphold the impeachment or reinstate her.

On December 31, people still attended a protest demanding Park's resignation in Seoul. The sign reads "Step down Park Geun-hye immediately".

A man holds up a picture bearing an image of South Korean President Park Geun-hye as he attends a ceremony to celebrate the new year after a protest demanding Parks resignation, in Seoul, South Korea, December 31, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji

A man holds up a picture bearing an image of South Korean President Park Geun-hye as he attends a ceremony to celebrate the new year after a protest demanding Park's resignation, in Seoul, South Korea, December 31, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji

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