South Korean prosecutors arrest woman at centre of political crisis: media

People attend a rally asking for the resignation of South Korean President Park Geun-hye in Seoul, South Korea, Oct 29, 2016. Over the past week pressure has been mounting on South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who has been suspected of letting her longtime friend to intervene in state affairs. [Photo/Xinhua]

In an interview with South Korea's Segye Ilbo newspaper published on Thursday, Choi said she received drafts of Park's speeches after Park's election victory but denied she had access to other official material, or that she influenced state affairs or benefited financially.

Park said last week she had given Choi access to speech drafts early in her term and apologised for causing concern among the public.

Thousands of South Koreans rallied in Seoul on Saturday night demanding Park's resignation over the scandal.

Park is in the fourth year of a five-year term and the crisis threatens to complicate policymaking during the lame-duck period that typically sets in toward the end of South Korea's single-term presidency.