In South Korea, President Park Geun-hye's long-time friend and confidante Choi Soon-sil has denied charges of fraud and abuse of power. Choi is at the center of a corruption scandal that led to Park's impeachment.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said Choi also said that she did not want a jury trial on the first day of her trial. Choi is charged with pressuring big businesses to pay money to foundations that backed Park's policy initiatives.

Prosecutors have named Park as an accomplice, although she has immunity from prosecution while in office. After parliament's vote to impeach her earlier this month, it's now up to the Constitutional Court to uphold or overturn the decision within a one-hundred-eighty day time period.