Park offers apology and co-operation
SOUTH KOREA: Ousted South Korean president Park Geun-hye apologised to the country as she arrived at prosecutors’ offices yesterday for questioning as a criminal suspect in a widening corruption investigation that has already cost her the presidency.
‘‘I am sorry to the people. I will faithfully co-operate with questioning,’’ Park told reporters in her first comments directly to the public since she was dismissed on March 10.
Park, 65, became South Korea’s first democratically elected president to be removed from office when the Constitutional Court upheld her December impeachment by parliament.
She has been accused of colluding with a lifelong friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations that backed her policy initiatives.
Park has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged in the case. But she lost her presidential immunity when she was dismissed, and could face more than 10 years in jail if convicted of receiving bribes from the bosses of big conglomerates, including Samsung Group chief Lee Jaeyong, in return for favours.
Television cameras followed Park as she was driven to the prosecutors’ office, a few minutes away from her home, escorted by police who cleared the road.
A prosecution official said the questioning was expected to go on late into the night. Prosecutors have reportedly prepared more than 200 questions for Park.
South Korea will hold a presidential election to replace Park on May 9.
In a damning 101-page report delivered before the impeachment decision, special prosecutors identified 13 charges that could be laid against Park, including abuse of power, receiving bribes and leaking confidential government information.
Choi is accused of extracting US$70 million (NZ$99m) in bribes from big business – including planning to extract US$37m from Samsung – in return for granting favorable treatment to the corporate giants.
Prosecutors say they have evidence that Park colluded with Choi in the scheme.
The special prosecutors have indicted 30 people in connection with the scandal, including business chiefs, presidential aides and prosecutors.
Lee has been detained and is on trial on charges including bribery, embezzlement and perjury.
– Reuters, Washington Post