Former President Park hospitalized for shoulder surgery

Former President Park Geun-hye, in a wheelchair, is escorted into Seoul St. Mary's Hospital in southern Seoul on Monday morning. She will undergo a surgery for rotator cuff tear on her left shoulder on Tuesday. Yonhap

Former President Park Geun-hye, who has been in a Seoul detention center since March 2017 over a massive corruption case, was admitted to a hospital on Monday for surgery, the Ministry of Justice said.

Park was transferred from the Seoul Detention Center to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital in southern Seoul on Monday morning to undergo an operation on her left shoulder, ministry officials said, noting her surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.

They said Park is unable to use her left arm due to a rotator cuff tear.

Park was previously allowed to occasionally visit the general hospital for treatment for her lumbar disc condition and other ailments or to have an oriental medicine doctor examine her in prison during her detention over the past two years and five months.

The ministry permitted Park's hospitalization two days after the prosecution last Monday rejected her request for a stay of execution of her sentence made on grounds of worsening illnesses. Her first such request in April was also rejected.

Park is serving a total of 32 years in prison for bribery, abuse of power, election law violations and other charges. Yonhap

Park is serving a total of 32 years in prison for bribery, abuse of power, election law violations and other charges.

"Despite all the efforts by medical staff both in and outside the detention center, and a recent treatment at an outside hospital, Park's shoulder pain and other conditions have not been improved and she recently underwent a thorough medical checkup," said a ministry official.

"Doctors who examined Park shared the view that she requires surgery on her left shoulder, and the former president agreed with this view."

On Aug. 29, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial of the corruption case in which she was sentenced to 25 years in prison by an appeals court. The top court said some of the bribery charges should be dealt with separately, which may lead to heavier punishment. (Yonhap)