South Korean prosecutors are denied Park probe extension

Impeached president reiterates she did not act in her own interest in office

South Korean special prosecutors investigating impeached President Park Geun-hye were denied permission to extend their investigation and question her in person yesterday amid a graft scandal that threatens to topple her from office.

The special prosecutor’s office will make its final indictments before its investigation into the scandal, which has engulfed the highest levels of politics and business in South Korea, closes today, spokesman Lee Kyu-chul told reporters.

A Constitutional Court ruling on whether to uphold the impeachment, which would result in South Korea’s first democratically elected leader being thrown from office, is expected next month.

The office of Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, acting as president since Park was impeached by parliament in December, said Hwang had rejected a request by prosecutors for a 30-day extension of their investigation. South Korea’s main opposition parties threatened yesterday to impeach the country’s acting leader after he refused to extend a special investigation into the huge corruption scandal that toppled conservative President Park Geun-hye.

If successful, the impeachment of Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn would rile an already tumultuous political landscape, putting another interim leader in power while the Constitutional Court decides the fate of both Hwang and Park, who’s now on trial.

Yesterday, Hwang refused a request by the investigation team to extend its probe past today’s deadline.

“The special prosecutor’s office regrets that the in-person questioning of the president could not happen and is deeply disappointed by the outcome,” Lee said.

The sticking point had been over the presidential office’s refusal to allow audio or video recordings of the questioning, resulting in a breakdown in negotiations last week, Lee said. Prosecutors had sought to question Park as a suspect, he said.

The corruption scandal erupted last year over accusations that Park colluded with a friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back the president’s policy initiatives.

The scandal has led to weekly protests by tens of thousands of Koreans. Park, 65, was stripped of her powers after parliament’s impeachment. She cannot be prosecuted while she remains president.

The scandal has also engulfed Samsung Group, South Korea’s largest chaebol, or conglomerate. Jay Y. Lee, the head of the smartphones-to-biopharmaceuticals conglomerate, was arrested on February 17 on suspicion that he had pledged bribes to a company and foundations backed by Choi.

Park reiterated in a statement to the Constitutional Court read by her lawyer on Monday that she did not act in self-interest while in office. She also denied making improper demands or receiving illicit requests from Samsung.

Choi, Lee and Samsung also deny wrongdoing.