[Newsmaker] Park endures grueling day at prosecution

When former president Park Geun-hye was proudly sworn into office as the nation’s first female leader, she would have never imagined this day would come – being questioned by the prosecution as a criminal suspect.

It only took 47 seconds for ousted Park to get out of her black sedan, stand for photos and deliver her two-sentence message to the public before entering the prosecution’s office Tuesday. 

Facing what may be the longest day of her life, she said “I am sorry” to the public without answering any of the questions from hundreds of reporters in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. 

“I will sincerely go through the investigation,” she said amid a barrage of camera flashes.

The questioning comes nearly two weeks after Park became an ordinary citizen upon the Constitutional Court’s decision to remove her from office on March 10 over a corruption scandal. The historic ruling stripped her of the immunity that has shielded her from criminal investigation.

The prosecution allegedly focused on grilling her over her role in coercing local firms to make donations to the Mir and K-Sports foundations -- entities Park’s confidante Choi Soon-sil allegedly controlled for personal gains -- in return for political favors.

Park faces a total of 13 charges including bribery, extortion and abuse of authority in connection to the scandal.

As Park left her residence in Samseong-dong at 9:15 a.m. in a motorcade of cars and police motorcycles, hundreds of her staunch supporters behind the police line yelled and chanted “Park Geun-hye! President!” while waving national flags.

Near the prosecution’s office, scores of supporters of the former leader held a rally, relentlessly chanting, “Invalidation of the impeachment.” On the opposite side, anti-Park protestors chanted, “Arrest Park Geun-hye.”

Security has been tightened around the prosecutors’ office, with some 2,000 policemen dispatched to the scene.

The motorcade ride and her public apology were broadcast live across the nation amid keen public interest. It was her first public appearance since moving out of the presidential residence on March 12.

Escorted by her lawyers and security guards, Park arrived at the prosecutor‘s office at 9:23 a.m. She had a 10-minute meeting over tea with Roh Seung-kwon, a deputy chief of the special probe team investigating the scandal, at his office on the 13th floor.

“Roh explained the probe schedule and how it will proceed, asking for cooperation from Park to reveal the truth. Park responded that she will faithfully undergo the questioning,” said an official from the prosecution.

She was grilled in the interrogation room on the 10th floor from 9:35 a.m. with two of her lawyers present. Four other lawyers were on standby in the waiting room. The investigation process was not videotaped because Park refused it, the prosecution said.

During a one-hour break, she stayed in the prosecution’s office and had a rice roll, sushi and a sandwich for lunch with her lawyers, according to the lawyers. She had dinner at 5:35 p.m.

The prosecution assigned two senior prosecutors -- Lee Won-seok and Han Woong-jae -- under the special probe team.

The prosecution said in a news briefing that it summoned key suspects in the scandal -- Choi, ex-presidential secretaries An Chong-bum and Jeong Ho-seong -- for questioning, but they refused to appear. The prosecution did not confirm whether it called them for the cross-examination.

She is expected to deny all the charges, claiming no knowledge of Choi and her inner circle’s wrongdoings. She said through a spokesperson that the truth will come out someday after arriving at her private home, which was widely seen as her unwillingness to concede.

Her friend Choi and several others, including ex-presidential aides and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, have been arrested and are standing trial for their alleged involvement in the corruption scandal.

Park is the country’s fourth former president to face criminal investigation, following Roh Tae-woo, Chun Doo-hwan and the late Roh Moo-hyun.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)