Disgraced ex-president Park faces grueling court battle on her arrest

By Park Sae-jin Posted : March 30, 2017, 09:44 Updated : March 30, 2017, 10:55

Protesters lie down on the road in front of expelled president Park Geun-hye's hom in southern Seoul. [Yonhap Photo]


South Korean police beefed up security around the house of ousted president Park Geun-hye Thursday as hundreds of flag-waving supporters gathered for sit-down protests opposing her imprisonment.

Riot police formed a human barricade on the road leading to Park's home in southern Seoul. Emotions ran high as some elderly people became hysterical, weeping and screaming. Security was also heavy around a court where Park was to face a grueling debate over whether she should be detained.

As Park left her house aboard a sedan, escorted by security guards and police, tens of angry protesters hurling plastic barricades broke the police line in an attempt to stop her sedan that came to a brief halt.  At the court, the grim-faced former president did not stop at a press photo line nor did she make any comments, walking upstairs in quick steps.

Park, 65, is accused of abusing her "powerful status and authority" to let her crony collect money from businessmen. State prosecutors asked for a warrant to arrest her, insisting there is a risk of her destroying evidence as she has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing despite ample evidence.

If a court agrees, she would be the third ex-president to be placed behind bars in South Korea's political history that brought a misfortune to former national leaders starting with Rhee Syngman, the first president who ruled from 1948 to 1960.
 

[Photo by Namkung Jinwoon = timeid@ajunews.com]


As a criminal suspect, she was questioned last week for bribery, abuse of power, coercion, the leak of state secrets and other allegations. She is suspected of helping her jailed crony, Choi Soon-sil, to collect money from top business groups in return for business favors. Jay Y. Lee, the de facto leader of Samsung Group, has been arrested and indicted on charges of giving bribes to Choi.

Park, who took office in early 2013, was impeached by parliament on December 9 at the height of anti-government protests. The constitutional court upheld her impeachment on March 10, accusing her of betraying the confidence of voters, and she was expelled from office two days later.

Park has denied any wrongdoing, claiming businessmen have voluntarily donated money.

She is also accused of playing a role in blacklisting outspoken figures to prohibit government agencies from providing financial support to them. Her former aides were arrested for creating and managing a list of more than 9,000  artists, writers and other cultural figures.

Lim Chang-wn = cwlim34@ajunews.com

기사 이미지 확대 보기
닫기