Former South Korean health minister Moon Hyung Pyo was detained on Wednesday as the inquiry into the corruption scandal currently engulfing President Park Geun Hye widens, local media reported.

    Moon, who runs South Korea's state-run National Pension Service (NPS), was detained on suspicion of having pressured the fund to support a merger between Samsung and subsidiaries when he was health minister, state news agency (Yonhap) reported.

    Investigators said they were concerned Moon might try to destroy evidence and they now have 48 hours to seek a formal arrest warrant, Yonhap said.    In November, prosecutors raided the offices of Samsung and the NPS as part of their investigation into whether President Park pressured the pension fund to support Samsung in return for favours given to her friend Choi Soon Sil. 

    Park is accused of giving Choi too much access to the business of government, despite the fact that Choi held no official office. Earlier this month, South Korea's parliament voted by a large majority to impeach Park in relation to the scandal.

Source: QNA