President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday appointed an attorney as prosecutors are preparing to directly question the embattled head of state this week over her alleged link to a corruption and influence peddling scandal involving her close confidante.

Park tapped Yoo Yeong-ha, a former member of the standing committee of the National Human Rights Commission as her legal representative, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.

Prosecutors have told the presidential office that it hopes to question Park face to face by Wednesday.

Park faces suspicions that she may have played a role in pressuring major conglomerates into donating large sums of money to two nonprofit foundations, which legal experts say could constitute an abuse of authority.

She is also suspected of allowing her confidante, Choi Soon-sil, to gain access to advance drafts of presidential speeches and documents, some of which reportedly include classified information.

This suspicion raises the possibility of Park violating the law concerning the handling of presidential records or official secrets. (Yonhap)