(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Park Geun-hye, the former President of South Korea, left the Presidential Palace, commonly known as the Blue House, at 7.00 pm local time yesterday (12th March) to settle down at her house in Southern Seoul, the capital. She was impeached on 10th March, over her alleged involvement in the corruption scandal of close friend Choi Soon-sil.
Park loyalist Hwang Kyo-ahn is now the acting President.
The public split over the impeachment, with thousands celebrate on the street and others fiercely protective of their former leader, believing this to be a political conspiracy. “Although it will take time, I believe the truth will certainly come out,” Park said, and apologised for “failing to fulfil my duty as president”.
‘Her demeanour outside her new residence was upbeat and full of smiles. It was not the demeanour of a disgraced, regretful politician,’ notes BBC.
Choi is allegede used her connection with the former president to force companies to donate millions to her nonprofit foundations, using her access to inside politics and official documents to aid her activity.
The South Korean Parliament voted to impeach her in December 2016. The Constitutional Court came to a final decision on 10th March and ousted her. They ruled that her actions ‘seriously impaired the spirit of… democracy and the rule of law, and she had concealed Choi’s meddling in state affairs and denied it whenever suspicions over the act emerged and even criticised those who raised the suspicions.’
Park may now face prosecution and a trial in an ordinary criminal court.
