Inside Story

Will South Korea’s president be forced out of office?

Park Geun-hye is at the centre of a corruption scandal and she ordered some of her top aides to quit.

South Korean leaders are known for controversial scandals, and the current row over alleged corruption is no exception.

There are mounting calls for President Park to resign.

Protesters are angry about her close friendship with a woman named Choi Soon-sil, who has allegedly helped her with political appointments and policy decisions, even though she’s a private citizen without security clearance. Park has apologised, sacked several advisers, including her chief of staff, and cancelled meetings to deal with the unrest.

But seven out of ten South Koreans still say they want her to step down or be impeached.

So is the president’s time now also running out?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests:

Jean Lee, Global fellow at the Center for Korean History and Public Policy at  the Woodrow Wilson Center.

B J Kim, Adjunct Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

Aidan Foster Carter, Honorary senior research fellow in sociology and modern Korea at Leeds University.