SEOUL (REUTERS) - South Korean President Park Geun Hye on Sunday (Jan 1) rejected allegations of wrongdoing in the political scandal that threatens her presidency, saying she was"set up" and the allegations were "fabrication and falsehood", said South Korean media.

Park said Choi Soon Sil, her long-time friend, was "merely an acquaintance" and denied Choi was allowed to wield undue and wide-reaching influence over state affairs, Yonhap news agency and YTN television reported.

Park met domestic media reporters on Sunday in the first public event since her impeachment by parliament on Dec 9.

Her fate is in the hands of the Constitutional Court judges who have up to 180 days to uphold the impeachment or reinstate her.