S Korean Constitutional Court Rules Out Park's Testimony in Impeachment Process

The South Korean Constitutional Court made a decision on Friday that suspended South Korean President Park Geun-hye will not bear testimony at the forthcoming trial on her impeachment, local media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The South Korean parliament decided to impeach Park on December 9 after it transpired that the president's close friend Choi Soon-sil, who does not hold any official posts in the government or the president's administration, edited the texts of the president's speeches and possibly used her ties to Park for her own financial benefit. Choi, as well as two former officials from Park's administration, have been arrested and accused of corruption and abuse of authority.

The court decided that the trial on Park's impeachment would be a "speedy and fair" and the suspended president would not be questioned in the courtroom, Korea Joongang Daily reported.

According to the newspaper, Choi with two other people involved in the scandal will be questioned on January 10, 2017.

The Constitutional Court has six months to decide upon the validity of the parliament's impeachment of Park. If the impeachment is recognized as valid, presidential election should be called within two months.