South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported that the special prosecutor's office investigating the corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye said it was considering whether to raid the presidential offices and if it did, it would have no choice but to do so publicly.

Special prosecutors are looking into allegations that Park colluded with her friend, Choi Soon-sil, and aides to pressure big companies into contributing to foundations set up to back her policy initiatives. It comes less than a day after South Koreans took to the streets of Seoul for the ninth consecutive weekend to demand Park's immediate resignation.