Civic groups call for Park's arrest
Former President Park Geun-hye exits a vehicle in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, on her way to attend the prosecution’s questioning, Tuesday. / Yonhap
‘Park shows no sign of remorse’
By Lee Kyung-min
A coalition of liberal civic groups has called for the arrest of former President Park Geun-hye, Tuesday, over what it considers her “failure to admit to her wrongdoings.”
Park appeared before the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office at 9:23 a.m. to undergo questioning over the corruption scandal involving her confidant and longtime friend Choi Soon-sil that led to her impeachment and ouster.
The group claimed that despite expressing her regret and vowing to fully cooperate with the investigation, she fell short of admitting to what she felt regretful for. “She keeps saying she feels regretful, but she has refused to clarify,” said Ahn Jin-geol, secretary-general of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy.
Ahn said Park used the exact same phrase on March 12 when she left Cheong Wa Dae to return to her private residence in Samseong-dong, two days after the Constitutional Court removed her from office on May 10.
“She revealed regret over her inability to finish her term,” he said. “Why does she refuse to elaborate today? To whom does she feel the regret, and over what? To her supporters? Or about this situation in general? The absence of an apology in detail proves her intent not to admit to any of her wrongdoings.”
He added that as there is ample evidence for most of her alleged wrongdoings, the prosecution should seek an arrest warrant.
“The prosecution should conduct the questioning in a no-holds-barred manner and put her behind bars,” he said. “That is the only way to restore the long-lost public faith in the judicial system.”
Another civic group member echoed the view. “The public has demanded Park apologize in clear and unequivocal words. And yet, she failed, again, to take responsibility and disappointed the public,” an official at the Citizens Coalition for Economic Justice said.
Meanwhile, Park had a one-hour lunch break from 12:05 p.m. after a two-and-a-half-hour interrogation session in the morning. Park, with her defense attorneys and assistants, ate kimbab (rice rolled with dry seaweed), sushi and sandwiches.
The prosecution said it did not record the interrogation in what is believed to be a move to create a less hostile environment to get as much as possible out of her and out of respect to the former president.
Consent is not required from the subject of the interrogation when the prosecution films the whole interrogation session as long as it informs the subject in advance.
While the prosecution reportedly asked Park's lawyer whether she would consent to the filming, the lawyer said she refused. However, the refusal had little impact in the decision to not film the session, according to the prosecution.
Meanwhile, supporters and critics of Park continued to voice their respective opinions in front of her private residence as she left for the prosecution's office.
Almost 1,000 police officers were mobilized near her home to prevent possible clashes among protesters. Emergency medical technicians and an ambulance were on standby.
While no major clashes occurred, numerous Park supporters displayed fanatical methods in supporting the disgraced leader.
Police said Park supporters kept on shouting and trying to pick fights with officers or passersby. All of them waved the Korean national flag, crying and shouting her name.
Police said four Park supporters laid on the ground wailing, “Father! Father!”
A woman who bit the hand and pulled the hair of a female police officer was subdued. A small brawl occurred after Park supporters shouted at an anti-Park protester who was staging a one-man protest saying “Arrest Park Geun-hye.”