Massive anti-Park rally held in central Seoul to demand resignation

The protestors gathered for the candlelight rally in Gwanghwamun Square, just over a kilometer from the presidential office. Police said some 25,000 officers were deployed to control the rally.

Organizers estimated the turnout at 1.5 million, the largest since a 1987 pro-democracy demonstration, while police put the number at around 300,000. Besides unionized labor, civic groups, and university students, many unaffiliated citizens took part as well.

It is the fifth demonstration of its kind in as many weeks since the scandal involving Park's close friend Choi Soon Sil erupted last month.
Choi, a private citizen, has been indicted on suspicion of using her relationship with Park to win sizeable donations from corporations for her nonprofit foundations.

Prosecutors announced last Sunday that Park is a suspect in a widening investigation into the explosive scandal involving Choi and two former presidential secretaries.

Also Saturday, prosecutors said they have questioned Choi's elder sister, Choi Soon Deuk, who is believed to be involved in the scandal although details are still sketchy, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The Choi sisters are suspected of being involved in obtaining illicit prescriptions for the president from a local hospital.

Three opposition parties said this week they intend to have parliament vote by Friday at the earliest on a motion to impeach Park.

According to local media reports, two of the parties -- the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and the No. 2 opposition People's Party -- are studying the inclusion of bribery allegations in the impeachment charges.

An impeachment motion at South Korea's 300-member unicameral legislature, controlled by the opposition parties, requires the support of at least half of the parliament to start and needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

The decision to permanently remove the president from office lies in the Constitutional Court, which must decide on the legality of the legislature's impeachment within 180 days.

If six of its nine judges uphold the impeachment, the president will be removed from office.

Under South Korea's Constitution, a sitting president cannot be prosecuted for less than serious criminal offenses such as insurrection.
However, a president can be punished if he or she resigns or is impeached.