The Herald

President Park ousted over corruption scandal

South Korea’s first female leader formally removed by court ruling

- PHILIP HOWARD SEOUL

SOUTH Korea’s Constituti­onal Court has formally removed impeached President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal that has plunged the country into political turmoil.

It was a stunning fall for Ms Park, the country’s first female leader, who came to power in 2012 only to see her presidency descend into scandal.

The presidenti­al office said Ms Park would not leave the presidenti­al Blue House immediatel­y.

A Blue House spokesman said some of Ms Park’s aides were at her southern Seoul home to prepare for her return, but it has not been determined exactly when she will leave the Blue House.

The ruling by the eight-member panel opens Ms Park up to possible criminal proceeding­s, and makes her South Korea’s first democratic­ally elected leader to be removed from office since democracy came to the country in the late 1980s.

Ms Park’s “acts of violating the constituti­on and law are a betrayal of the public trust”, acting Chief Justice Lee Jung-mi said.

“The benefits of protecting the constituti­on that can be earned by dismissing the defendant are overwhelmi­ngly big.

“Hereupon, in a unanimous decision by the court panel, we issue a verdict: We dismiss the defendant, President Park Geun-hye.”

Ms Park’s party said it “humbly accepts” the ruling and it feels responsibl­e for her downfall.

South Korea must hold an election within two months to choose Ms Park’s successor.

Liberal Moon Jae-in, who lost to Ms Park in the 2012 election, currently enjoys a comfortabl­e lead in opinion surveys.

Whoever becomes the next leader will take over a country facing a hostile North Korea, a stagnant economy and deep social and political divides.

Pre-verdict surveys showed that 70-80 per cent of South Koreans had wanted the court to approve Ms Park’s impeachmen­t.

But there have been worries that Ms Park’s removal would further polarise the country and cause violence between her supporters and opponents.

Thousands of people, both pro-Park supporters, many of them dressed in army-style fatigues and wearing red berets, and those who wanted Park gone, gathered around the Constituti­onal Court building and a huge public square in central Seoul.

Hundreds of police were on hand, while the streets near the court were lined with barricades.

Two people died erupted following decision. as protests the court’s

A South Korean hospital official said a man in his 70s, believed to be a Park supporter, died from head wounds after falling from a police bus in front of the court. Police later confirmed a second death, without giving further details.

Thousands of Ms Park’s supporters reacted angrily to the verdict, shouting and hitting police officers with flag poles, and climbing on buses the police used to create a perimeter protecting the court.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s defence minister has ordered the military to be on alert for possible North Korean provocatio­ns attempting to exploit “unstable situations at home and abroad”.

Ms Park’s parliament­ary impeachmen­t in December came after weeks of Saturday rallies that drew millions who wanted her resignatio­n.

Overwhelme­d by the biggest rallies in decades, the voices of Park supporters were largely ignored. But they have recently regrouped and staged fierce pro-Park rallies.

People on both sides had threatened not to accept a Constituti­onal Court decision that they disagree with.

 ??  ?? DELIGHTED: Some protesters showed their joy after hearing the Constituti­onal Court’s verdict.
DELIGHTED: Some protesters showed their joy after hearing the Constituti­onal Court’s verdict.
 ??  ?? FORCED OUT: Park Geun-hye.
FORCED OUT: Park Geun-hye.
 ??  ?? DEJECTED: A supporter of Ms Park in tears.
DEJECTED: A supporter of Ms Park in tears.

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