With Park's approval rating nosediving, some opposition politicians have called for her resignation though none has taken any concrete action to prepare for her impeachment largely out of worries about public backlash. The latest public surveys put Park's approval rating at about 10 percent, the lowest since her inauguration in February 2013, and that showed about half of respondents think Park should resign or be impeached by the National Assembly.

Last week Park acknowledged Choi Soon-sil had edited some of her speeches and provided public relations help, despite having no official government position. South Korean media speculate Choi likely had an access to sensitive information and played a much larger role in government affairs.

After two days questioning Choi, a Seoul prosecutors' office on Wednesday asked the Seoul Central District Court to approve an arrest warrant for her, according to court spokesman Shin Jae-hwan. He said the court will likely determine whether to approve the arrest warrant by Friday morning.

Prosecutors accused Choi of abuse of authority and attempted fraud when they requested her arrest warrant, Shin said without elaborating.

South Korean media have reported allegations that Choi, 60, pulled government strings from the shadows and pushed businesses to donate millions of dollars to two foundations she controlled to obtain money for her personal use and for Park's post-retirement activities.

It wasn't still clear whether and how much influence Choi had on Park's state affairs. South Korean media reported some of the documents transferred to Choi included confidential information like secret military talks with North Korea. One TV station aired footage showing Choi picking up the clothes Park would wear.

Choi has previously said she received some of Park's speeches in advance but said she didn't know if she was seeing confidential information.

Earlier in the day Park replaced her prime minister and two other top officials in a bid to restore public confidence amid the scandal that already forced her to fire eight presidential aides.

South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party immediately criticized Park's reshuffles, saying it's an attempt to divert attention from the scandal. It said Park must reveal the whole truth about her ties with Choi and the scandal.

South Korea's executive power is concentrated in the president, but the prime minister, the No.2 government post, leads the country if the president becomes incapacitated.

Choi has been close to Park since Choi's father, the leader of a religious cult, gained Park's trust by reportedly convincing her that he could communicate with her assassinated mother. Choi's father denied that in a 1990 media interview.

Park has already long been criticized for an aloof manner and for relying on only a few longtime confidantes. That she may have been outsourcing sensitive decisions to someone outside of government, and someone connected with a murky, lurid backstory, has incensed many.

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Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.

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