Tens of thousands of South Koreans have held a candlelight protest today, to demand President Park Geun-hye step down over a recent influence-peddling scandal. Around 30,000 people attended the rally at Gwangh-wa-mun Square in central Seoul.

"President Park Geun-hye, as head of our country, apologised three times in front of the public. I feel very sorry for her as she is also a woman but I barely felt sincerity from her lack of decision to step down as president. So, I came here because she doesn't seem to know the public sentiment at all," said Kwack Hyun-jung, 40-year-old protester.

"President Park Geun-hye's remark that she will follow the decision of the National Assembly is really irresponsible. I think she has to resign herself to what people are hoping for," said Ha Yoo-jin, 19-year-old protester.

President Park has also appointed a special prosecutor to independently investigate the political scandal plaguing her administration. Opposition parties vowed to push ahead to try to impeach the president, rejecting her offer to resign if parliament demanded she do so. They also called on members of her own Saenuri Party to join forces with them.