Fomer president Park Geun-hey smiles as she gets off a sedan outside her home in southern Seoul.[Yonhap News Photo]
The disgraced former president apologized for failing to finish her term when a convoy of presidential vehicles took her to her private home heavily guarded by riot police, two days after a court endorsed her impeachment.
Park came to a shameful end as the constitutional court accused her of betraying the confidence of voters in a historic ruling that followed months of political turmoil and a protracted leadership vacuum. The verdict set the stage for a presidential election in May.
Outside her home, she put on a sad smile but waved her hand to hundreds of supporters who fervently waved national flags and chanted "Impeachment is void!"
"I am sorry for failing to finish my duty as president," she said in a short statement issued through aides. "It may take time but I believe the truth will be revealed after all."
The statement was in line with her previous argument that she insisted she was innocent. Before the court's decision, Park had shrugged off popular demands for her voluntary resignation, describing herself as the victim of a political plot.
Supporters waving national flags greet ex-president Park Geun-hye outside her home.[Joint Press Corps]
At her home, she will wait for an interrogation by state prosecutors who have described her as a criminal accomplice. Ex-presidents are provided with a pension, secretaries, drivers and medical coverage, but Park lost such benefits except for security protection.
Park, who took office in early 2013, was impeached by parliament on December 9 at the height of anti-government protests that have seen millions of citizens taking to the streets in an unprecedented demonstration of people power.
Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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