Ex-president Park Geun-hye finds new home in Daegu

Former President Park Geun-hye walks out of Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul, Thursday, nearly three months after she was hospitalized there on Dec. 31. She served almost five years in prison after being convicted on 16 out of 18 charges of corruption before being pardoned late last year. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Park Geun-hye welcomed by hometown supporters

By Kang Hyun-kyung

Conservative former President Park Geun-hye headed to her new home in the southeastern city of Daegu after being released from Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul, Thursday, nearly four months after she was hospitalized there on Dec. 31 for declining health.

She had suffered from chronic shoulder and back pain since she was pardoned on Dec. 24 and released from jail on Dec. 31 of last year after serving almost five years of a 20-year sentence for corruption while president.

Walking out of the hospital with her lawyer, former lawmaker Yoo Young-ha, early Thursday morning, the healthy-looking former president beamed as nearly two hundred supporters gathered there and chanted her name.

Wearing a navy blue coat and beige face mask, Park expressed her gratitude toward the dedicated medical staff who had taken care of her since her release from prison at the end of last year, saying she was feeling great.

“I stand here before my fellow citizens after five years,” she said. She said she felt very well and fully recovered from her illness, thanks to the unwavering public support.

After the brief speech, she got into her vehicle and left the hospital without answering questions from reporters about her future plans.

On her way home in Daegu, the former president dropped by the National Cemetery in Seoul to pay her tribute to her late father, President Park Chung-hee, who was buried there after being assassinated by the director of the KCIA in October 1979. She found a new place in her hometown following the seizure and auctioning off of her former residence in southern Seoul last year due to her failure to pay 21.5 billion won ($17.6 million) in financial penalities ordered by the Supreme Court in its final ruling on her corruption case.

After being impeached following months of Candlelight demonstrations, the younger Park was found guilty of 16 out of 18 charges of bribery and the abuse of power, and was put in prison on March 31, 2017.

On Thursday, some of her supporters who gathered at the Samsung Medical Center criticized President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, calling him a “criminal.” They also criticized unspecified politicians for having cooperated with the prosecution for putting her in jail, saying they are “traitors” and “rubbish.”

Several politicians, including former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, former lawmaker Min Kyung-wook, who served as the former president's spokesman, and Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, were also there.

Seen behind is Park's residence in Dalseong County, Daegu City. Yonhap

Park received the warmest of welcomes from supporters in Dalseong. Thousands of people gathered in front of her residence in the rustic county to welcome the former president.

She delivered a prepared speech before the crowd at the entrance of her residence.

“In retrospect, the past five years (in prison) were really difficult for me to endure.

Whenever things got tough, I dreamed of the day when I could go back to my political hometown of Dalseong, and then I came to find the energy to continue on,” she said.

Her speech abruptly halted as a glass bottle that was thrown at her from the crowd smashed on the ground near her. Her bodyguards surrounded her immediately.

She resumed her speech with a smile a few minutes later.

“I couldn't live up to my commitment and disappointed you greatly but people in this county always gave me a warm welcome. After the announcement that I was pardoned, I read a news article which said people in Dalseong were ready to help me live the rest of my life here peacefully. I was touched,” she said.

She became emotional as she recalled her political debut as a lawmaker through a by-election in Dalseong back in 1998 and her rise to becoming the country's president.

President-elect Yoon was in charge of the Central Prosecutors' Office when the investigation of President Park was underway and his involvement in the investigation has put him in an awkward relationship with the ex-president since he ran in the presidential election on the conservative People Power Party's ticket.

During a debate hosted by broadcast journalists in December last year, Yoon said he wished the ex-president a fast recovery from her illness. When asked if he had any plans to meet her in person, Yoon said her recovery was the priority and didn't think him visiting her would be appropriate.

On Thursday, President-elect Yoon said that it was good to hear that President Park has fully recovered and is able to go to her home in Daegu. “I plan to visit provincial cities from next week and pay a visit to her in person. I heard that she moved to a new residence in Daegu, so will check with her if I can visit her. If she says yes, I will do it,” he told reporters at a tent set up at the presidential transition committee building in Seoul as the press room was not available.

President Moon Jae-in congratulated Park on her release from the hospital. He sent a potted orchid to commemorate her fresh start in her new home in Daegu through his political affairs secretary, with the message, “Be healthy.” Park delivered her gratitude to Moon through her spokesperson, Yoo, wishing him luck on finishing his presidential term smoothly and to be well.

Supporters and media try to get a glimpse of former President Park Geun-hye, not seen in this photo, at Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul, Thursday, as Park got in her car after being released from the hospital. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul