Scandal-rocked South Korean president replaces PM

AFP, SEOUL: South Korea’s embattled president Park Geun-Hye replaced her prime minister and two other top cabinet members on Wednesday, in her latest bid to contain a damaging political scandal.
The move was part of a planned reshuffle of senior civil servants and ministers aimed at setting up a cross-party “neutral” cabinet and assuaging public anger with the president and her administration.
Park has been engulfed in a political storm over allegations that she allowed a long-time friend, who holds no political position, to meddle in affairs of state—including cabinet appointments.
The friend, Choi Soon-Sil, is currently being questioned under emergency detention by prosecutors over her links to Park and other allegations of influence-peddling and fraud.
A presidential spokesman said Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn had been replaced “in connection with the current situation” and added that the finance and public safety ministers were also being changed.

 

Scandal-rocked South Korean president replaces PM

AFP, SEOUL: South Koreas embattled president Park Geun-Hye replaced her prime minister and two other top cabinet members on Wednesday, in her latest bid to contain a damaging political scandal. The move was part of a planned reshuffle of senior civil servants and ministers aimed at setting up a cross-party neutral cabinet and assuaging public anger with the president and her administration. Park has been engulfed in a political storm over allegations that she allowed a long-time friend, who holds no political position, to meddle in affairs of stateincluding cabinet appointments. The friend, Choi Soon-Sil, is currently being questioned under emergency detention by prosecutors over her links to Park and other allegations of influence-peddling and fraud. A presidential spokesman said Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn had been replaced in connection with the current situation and added that the finance and public safety ministers were also being changed.