US to be 'steadfast' South Korea ally after Park's ouster

Seoul: The United States looks forward to a "productive relationship" with the next South Korean president, a U.S. embassy spokesman said on Friday following the removal of President Park Geun-hye from office over a corruption scandal.

"The United States continues to be a steadfast ally, friend, and partner to the Republic of Korea," the spokesman told Reuters. "Ultimately, it is a domestic issue for the people of Korea to decide through their democratic process and we respect their decisions".

Meanwhile, her office said Park will not leave the presidential Blue House residence on Friday.

"For now, Park is not leaving the Blue House today," Blue House spokesman Kim Dong Jo told Reuters.

Park has a private residence in a neighbourhood called Samseong-dong, in the affluent Gangnam district of the capital, Seoul, and the spokesman said earlier she would be going there, when she leaves the Blue House.

"No plans have been made for her departure. Due to security reasons, she cannot go back to her house in Samseong-dong," Kim said.

Park was impeached over a graft scandal involving South Korea`s conglomerates at a time of rising tensions with North Korea and China.

She denied wrongdoing.