They are the South Korean president’s closest allies. Choi Soon-sil, her long-time confidant, and Ahn Chong-bum have been by the side of Park Geun-hye for decades, offering counsel and advice.
But now allegations against them of corruption and crony capitalism are snowballing into the biggest political crisis of the president’s career, threatening to scupper her flagship policies and tarnish her legacy.
Prosecutors are investigating claims that Ms Choi and Mr Ahn, senior presidential secretary for policy co-ordination, used their influence to coerce big conglomerates, including Samsung, Hyundai, SK Group and LG Group, into making multimillion-dollar donations into two non-profit foundations.
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