South Korea’s highest court has announced it will rule Friday on the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

The Constitutional Court said Wednesday the ruling will be televised live.

South Korean lawmakers voted in December to remove Park from office over a corruption scandal.However, under the South Korean system the Constitutional Court must confirm the decision before it can take effect.

The main allegation is that she colluded with her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil to extort South Korean conglomerates to donate $70 million to two dubious foundations in exchange for favorable treatment.

There were also other charges related to Park’s allegedly negligent handing of the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster that killed over 300 people, and to Choi purportedly using presidential connections to gain her daughter admission into a prestigious university.

Park has said she is not guilty, never benefited from her office and was unaware of any illegal activities allegedly done by friends or subordinates.

If the court rules against her, she would be the first democratically elected South Korean leader to be ousted from office.That would also trigger an election for a new president within 60 days.
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