South Korea court to rule on President Park Geun Hye's impeachment on Friday

South Korean President Park Geun Hye speaks during an emergency cabinet meeting at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on Dec 9, 2016.
PHOTO: AFP

SEOUL (REUTERS) - South Korea's Constitutional Court will rule on President Park Geun Hye's impeachment on Friday at 11am (10am Singapore), a court spokesman said on Wednesday (March 8).

Park was impeached by parliament in December and stripped of her powers pending the court's ruling.

If the court upholds the impeachment, a presidential election will be held in 60 days. If the court strikes down the impeachment, Park will be reinstated.

The ruling will be televised live, court spokesman Bae Bo Yoon told reporters. He declined to comment on whether the judges had already reached a conclusion.

Park is accused of violating her constitutional duty by colluding with a friend, Choi Soon Sil, to pressure big businesses into making contributions to foundations set up to support her policy and allowing her to exert influence on state affairs.

Park and Choi have denied wrongdoing.

At least six of the eight judges on the bench have to vote to uphold the impeachment for the case to be approved after the ninth judge, the chief of the court which rules only on constitutional appeals, retired in January.

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