S.Korean president's friend snubs trial

Disgraced South Korean President Park Geun-hye's longtime friend at the centre of a massive corruption scandal has refused to testify at Park's impeachment trial.

The Constitutional Court on Tuesday had expected to hear from Choi Soon-sil, a confidante of Park who's currently jailed and on trial herself for allegedly using her connections with the president to extort money and favours from companies and unlawfully interfere with government affairs. But Choi submitted documents to the court saying she was unable to testify.

Two jailed former presidential aides who purportedly helped Choi also refused to testify, saying they needed to prepare for their own trials.

Park's powers have been suspended since December 9, when South Korea's opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach her.