SK prosecutors call for Park’s arrest
Print Edition
SOUTH Korean prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for ousted President Park Geun-hye yesterday, days after questioning her over the corruption and abuse of power scandal that brought her down.
Park, 65, had her removal from office confirmed by the country’s top court earlier this month, ending her executive immunity, and prosecution has been a key demand of people who took to the streets in protest against her.
She is accused of multiple offenses including bribery, leaking government information and abuse of power.
“The accused abused her enormous power and status as president to receive bribes from companies or to infringe upon the rights to freedom of corporate management, and leaked important confidential information on state affairs. These are grave issues,” the prosecutors said in a statement. “A large amount of evidence has been collected so far but the accused is denying most of the charges, and there is a risk of destroying evidence in the future,” it said.
Choi Soon-sil, Park’s confidante, is already on trial for forcing top local firms to “donate” nearly US$70 million to nonprofit foundations which she is alleged to have used for personal gain.
Prosecutors said it would be “counter to the principle of fairness” if Park was not arrested. The Seoul Central District Court will review their request on Thursday, they said.
If the warrant is approved, Park will become the third former leader to be arrested over corruption in Asia’s fourth-largest economy, where politics and business have long been closely tied.
Two former army-backed leaders who ruled in the 1980s and 1990s — Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo — both served jail terms for charges including bribery after they retired.
Another ex-leader, Roh Moo-hyun, committed suicide in 2009 by jumping off a cliff after he was questioned over graft allegations.
Park was impeached by parliament in December, as the scandal combined with mounting economic and social frustrations to trigger huge candlelit demonstrations.
Last week, she underwent a marathon 21-hour interrogation session by prosecutors, having refused repeated requests to be interviewed while in power.
Park is alleged to have offered favors to businessmen who enriched Choi, including Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, who was arrested and charged with bribery last month.
She is also accused of letting her friend handle a wide range of state affairs including the nomination of top officials.
Park, daughter of late leader Park Chung-hee, is also said to have ordered aides to leak secret state files to Choi, and to have cracked down on thousands of artists who had criticized her or her father’s rule.
Park grew up in the Blue House, with the first family treated as royalty by some supporters and Park dubbed the young “princess.”
The assassination of her parents five years apart in the 1970s fanned sympathy for her.
After her mother was murdered, Park assumed the role of first lady until her father was killed in 1979.
She was elected in her own right in 2012.
More than 100 of her mostly older supporters assembled near her house in southern Seoul, pledging to protect her.
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