Court approves arrest of ex-South Korean President Park Geun-hye over corruption allegations

A South Korean court has approved the arrest of former President Park Geun-hye over allegations of corruption.

The allegations have already ended her troubled four years in office, and prompted an election to find her successor.

Park, South Korea's first female president, was elected in 2012 on a tide of nostalgia for the era of her late dictator father, who himself ruled for 18 years despite a swathe of alleged human rights abuses.

She is accused of colluding with another to extort money from big businesses and of taking a bribe from one of the companies, among other claims.

Millions of South Koreans took to the streets to protest after the allegations came to light, with demonstrations every weekend for months before the Constititional Court ruled to remove her from the post on March 10.

Her presidential powers had already been suspended after Parliament impeached her in December.

Thursday's ruling, by the Seoul Central District Court, meant Park was expected to be taken to a detention centre shortly afterwards.

She can be detained for up to 20 days before prosecutors file formal charges, meaning she may be in jail while her case is heard.