ED Probe of former president

The prosecution said Wednesday that it would summon former President Park Geun-hye for questioning on March 21 as a suspect in the abuse of power and corruption scandal that led to her impeachment and removal from power.

Through her lawyers, Park said that she will appear for questioning if there is no “special circumstance.” Before being permanently removed from office on March 10, Park repeatedly went back on her word to cooperate on the investigations of the prosecution and the independent counsel.

If she keeps her word this time and attends the questioning, she will be the fourth former Korean president to be questioned by the prosecution, after Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo and Roh Moo-hyun.

Park’s attendance is crucial to expedite the additional investigation into the scandal by a special team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office which is currently looking into a series of allegations involving Park, her aides and conglomerates.

Now that Park has been removed from office, she can no longer rely on presidential immunity that had shielded her from criminal prosecution. She now faces 13 charges, including abuse of power, leaking state secrets and bribery. The former president is suspected of having pressured Samsung to provide 43 billion won ($37.6 million) to her close friend Choi Soon-sil in return for business favors to the nation’s largest conglomerate from Cheong Wa Dae.

After she returned to her private residence on March 12, she said that “the truth will ultimately prevail.” For this, she must cooperate with the prosecution and offer a truthful account of her part in the scandal.

She has so far denied all the charges against her, portraying herself as a victim of a political conspiracy. She has stressed that she has never sought personal gains or assisted anyone in particular.

The prosecution should provide no special treatment for the former president and proceed strictly with the questioning according to law.