South Korea says woman tied to scandal arrested in Denmark

Choi Soon-sil, South Korea, scandal, president

Choi Soon-sil, center, the jailed confidante of disgraced South Korean President Park Geun-hye, arrives for questioning into her suspected role in political scandal at the office of the independent counsel in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. A South Korean special prosecutor summoned Choi who allegedly exploited her connections with Park to extort money and favors from the country’s largest companies and manipulate government affairs from the shadows. AP

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean prosecutors say the daughter of the confidante of disgraced President Park Geun-hye has been arrested in Denmark and authorities are working to get her returned home in connection with a huge corruption scandal.

Park was impeached last month by lawmakers amid public fury over prosecutors’ allegations that the president conspired to allow her longtime friend, Choi Soon-sil, to extort companies and control the government.

Denmark police on Monday arrested Choi’s daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, on charges of staying their illegally.

South Korea had asked Interpol to search for Chung because she didn’t return home to answer questions about the scandal.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reports that Chung allegedly took advantage of her mother’s relationship with Park to get unwarranted favors from Seoul’s Ewha Womans University.

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