Park faces questioning in jail, as head of pro-Park group wanted by police

Public prosecutors looking into corruption allegations against former President Park Geun-hye will question her on Tuesday at her detention center south of Seoul, officials said Monday.

Park was taken into custody on Friday after a court issued a warrant for her arrest. She faces charges of colluding with her friend Choi Soon-sil in a bribery scheme involving the country’s largest conglomerate Samsung Group.

The prosecution is also considering relocating Choi, who is being held in the same facility as Park, to another place, in order to keep the two from encountering each other.

“We will begin the questioning at around 10 a.m., tomorrow (Tuesday) although the exact venue (of the investigation within the detention facility) is not yet decided,” said an official at the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office during a press briefing.

“Senior Prosecutor Han Woong-jae will lead the questioning,” he added.

Park’s attorneys requested the interrogation to take place at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, to minimize public attention, the official revealed.

The imminent interrogation of Park is part of the prosecution’s effort to accelerate the inquiry before the arrest warrant expires in two weeks, and indict her over the country’s biggest scandal that led to her expulsion from power last month.

Park is accused of receiving bribes from big business groups, disguised as donations to two foundations run by Choi, as well as leaking state secrets to Choi.

The bribery conviction could lead to life in prison.

Meanwhile, police are considering arresting the chief of a group of staunch Park supporters for violent protests.

Jeong Kwang-yong, head of an organization supporting the former leader, is accused of instigating violence during the protest on the day of Park’s impeachment decision on March 10. Three protesters died of injuries and heart problems during and after the rally.

An official from the Jongno Police Station in Seoul told reporters that they “will soon send Jeong a third notice” to submit himself for questioning.

Jeong turned down the authority’s summons on March 22 and 28.

If Jeong refuses to turn up again, the police will consider requesting an arrest warrant against him, the official added.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)