Scandal-rocked S. Korean president replaces PM

Seoul : South Korean President Park Geun-Hye replaced her prime minister and finance minister Wednesday, as she scrambled to contain a damaging scandal over a close friend accused of meddling in state affairs

The top-level reshuffle, which also saw a new public safety minister, was the latest attempt to appease growing public anger with the president and her administration.

Park has been engulfed in a political storm over allegations that she allowed long-time friend Choi Soon-Sil, who holds no political position, to vet her speeches and have a voice in policy decisions -- including cabinet appointments.

Choi is currently being detained and questioned by prosecutors over her links to Park and other allegations of influence-peddling and embezzlement.

A spokesman at the Seoul Prosecutors Office said a formal request had been made Wednesday to a local court to issue an arrest warrant for Choi on charges of fraud and abuse of power.

The fraud relates to allegations that Choi -- who is already in emergency detention -- used her friendship with Park to strongarm companies like Samsung into donating large sums to non-profit foundations Choi set up and used for her personal gain.