Prosecutors to summon Park for questioning
SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors will summon former President Park Geunhye, whose impeachment was confirmed by the country’s highest court last week, for questioning as a criminal suspect, a spokesman said Tuesday.
Park has been named as an accomplice to the secret confidante at the heart of a corruption and influence-peddling scandal that triggered her dramatic downfall.
Confirmation of her impeachment by the nation’s top court stripped her of immunity from criminal prosecution.
“We will decide Wednesday when to summon former President Park and inform her,” the spokesman of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office told AFP. It has not yet been decided whether Park will be called in to the prosecutors’ office in private, or publicly before TV cameras and photographers, he added.
The country’s top court last week fired Park over a corruption scandal.
Her friend and secret confidante, Choi Soon-Sil, is standing trial for using her ties to Park to force local firms to “donate” nearly $70 million to nonprofit foundations Choi allegedly used for personal gain.
Park is accused of offering policy favors to businessmen who paid Choi, including the heir to the smartphone giant Samsung, Lee Jae- Yong, who has been indicted for bribery and other offenses.
South Korean media and politicians have accused Park of defiance after told supporters on her return to her private residence — following staying on in the presidential Blue House complex for several days — that “the truth will eventually be revealed.”