By Kim Rahn
When ousted President Park Geun-hye attended a local court hearing Thursday, people did not expect she would make any meaningful remark ahead of her possible arrest.
Many anticipated Park would utter only one or two “ceremonial” words, as she did before undergoing questioning by the prosecution earlier this month.
But she took most people off guard ― she did not even look at reporters at the entrance to the Seoul Central District Court but just passed by them without a pause, ignoring all questions that the reporters shouted at her.
The former president may have been nervous about making comments; she looked tense and just walked quickly. However, despite it being Park’s last chance to offer an apology, express remorse or give an explanation to the public over the corruption scandal, she did not take it.
Many took this as her disregard for the people.
Park initially did not want to be seen in public at all: the previous day her aides asked the court to allow her to enter the building through an underground parking lot so that she would not have to face reporters and their cameras. But the court rejected the request, saying it would be unfair with regard to other suspects attending a court hearing as she too is now a suspect.
“The court’s rejection meant everybody is equal before the law, and was also to give her a last chance to apologize to the public,” said Democratic Party of Korea spokesman Rep. Koh Yong-jin. “The people, who had the last hope that Park would admit her wrongdoing and apologize at this last chance, again had to give a hollow smile.”
Koh pointed out that Park, who initially avoided undergoing questioning by the prosecution and refused to attend the Constitutional Court hearings, attended this time in a desperate move to avoid arrest.
“She was inattentive to the people during her term, with her whereabouts during the ferry Sewol sinking still unknown. But now she is doing her best for her own interests (to avoid arrest). It is deplorable,” he said.
In contrast to her disregard for the public, she waved from inside a car to her supporters who were surrounding her residence in southern Seoul when leaving for the court. Hundreds of them had gathered there since the previous night, chanting slogans such as “No arrest!”
Park also welcomed several loyal lawmakers who visited her house before she left for the court. They later told reporters that Park said, “I’m grateful that you came here. I’m sorry.”
Regarding such an attitude, Koh said Park is under the delusion that only her supporters are the people of the country. “She still thinks nothing of the majority of the people. She keeps silent before the people, but gives messages of gratitude to her supporters.”