SKorea president to 'accept' probe into document leak

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL (AA) - South Korean President Park Geun-hye conceded Friday that she would allow herself to be investigated over a snowballing scandal "if necessary".

With an approval rating of just 5 percent according to a new Gallup Korea survey, Park has broken the unpopularity record held by her 1990s predecessor Kim Young-sam.

Park's address to the nation Friday followed last week's apology for sharing drafts of key speeches with private confidante Choi Soon-sil.

A Seoul court issued a warrant to officially arrest Choi Thursday night after her emergency detention on suspicion of abusing links to the president to secretly guide state affairs, achieve financial gain and ensure preferential university treatment for her daughter.

Two other now former presidential aides are also being held over the alleged leak of official documents and accusations of pressuring donations from local companies.

As one allegation piles upon another, thousands of members of the public and some opposition politicians have demanded that the president resign.

If Park were investigated while in office, it would be unprecedented in South Korean history.

Her single term is set to run until February 2018.

Even if Park does hold off the present chaos, presidential staff have already expressed a willingness to decentralize power with several left-leaning figures being nominated for government positions over the last few days in an apparent effort to calm the crisis.