Parties call for new start for country after Park's arrest

By Kim Hyo-jin

Parties and presidential contenders said Friday former President Park Geun-hye’s arrest showed equality before the law, saying it should be a fresh start for the country as it recovers from the corruption scandal.

The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said it was a reasonable conclusion considering the impartiality of the law and principles.

“Everyone is equal before the law,” said Rep. Youn Kwan-suk, the party’s chief spokesman. “We hope today’s historic decision will help reveal the truth about the unprecedented presidential scandal that disrupted state affairs.”

The party’s presidential contenders also voiced hope that this would become an opportunity to truly reform the country.

“It was the first step to renew a damaged Korea,” said Rep. Park Kwang-on, a spokesman for leading contender Moon Jae-in. “Now we should channel our focus into building a fair and clean country.”

Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung’s spokeswoman Rep. Je Youn-kyung said, “It is the start of a long path to clear up deep-rooted social evils. It is a decision that reflects the spirit of the times.”

The People’s Party, and its presidential aspirant Ahn Cheol-soo, echoed a similar view to the DPK’s, calling it an “inevitable result.”

“Park brought this upon herself by seeking to hide evidence and making false excuses,” a spokesman for Ahn said. “It was a realization of the constitutional value that everyone is equal before the law.”

Conservative parties remained somewhat skeptical of the necessity of the arrest. “Though we do not question it being a decision based on the law and principles, we have to wonder if there was any room for an indictment without detention in the name of social unity,” Bareun Party spokesman Rep. Oh Shin-hwan said.

The Liberty Korea Party, of which Park is still a member, released a short statement: “It is deeply regrettable. We hope the country will not repeat the painful history of having a former president imprisoned.”

Park is expected to be detained for up to 20 days while the prosecution assembles its case to prove her complicity in bribery and abuse of power with her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil.