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Ousted S Korean President Park Geun-hye faces prosecutors | Ousted S Korean President Park Geun-hye faces prosecutors |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye is being questioned by prosecutors over a corruption scandal that brought her down. | Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye is being questioned by prosecutors over a corruption scandal that brought her down. |
After arriving at the office, she told reporters she was "sorry". | |
Ms Park resisted efforts to question her when she was president, but lost her immunity when judges upheld parliament's decision to impeach her. | |
She could be charged for allegedly allowing close friend Choi Soon-sil to extort money from large firms. | |
Ms Choi has been charged with bribery and corruption. | |
On Tuesday, Ms Park's supporters gathered outside her home in an affluent suburb of Seoul, as she was escorted by police to the prosecutors' office in a short journey covered live on television. | |
People waved the South Korean flag, a symbol of the pro-Park movement. | |
"I am sorry to the people. I will faithfully cooperate with questioning," Ms Park told the media when she arrived. | |
Ms Park is the first democratically elected leader to be ousted in South Korea. | |
Thousands of people celebrated in Seoul after her removal from office on 10 March. | Thousands of people celebrated in Seoul after her removal from office on 10 March. |
However, angry protests by her supporters outside the Constitutional Court left two people dead. | However, angry protests by her supporters outside the Constitutional Court left two people dead. |
The court ruling was the culmination of months of political turmoil and public protest. An election now will be held by 9 May. | The court ruling was the culmination of months of political turmoil and public protest. An election now will be held by 9 May. |
Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is loyal to Ms Park, is now the acting president. | Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is loyal to Ms Park, is now the acting president. |
Why did Park lose her job? | Why did Park lose her job? |
At the heart of the drama lies the close friendship between Ms Park and Ms Choi. | At the heart of the drama lies the close friendship between Ms Park and Ms Choi. |
Ms Choi is accused of using her presidential connections to pressure companies to give millions of dollars in donations to non-profit foundations she controlled. | Ms Choi is accused of using her presidential connections to pressure companies to give millions of dollars in donations to non-profit foundations she controlled. |
Ms Park, 65, is alleged to have been personally involved in this, and to have given Ms Choi unacceptable levels of access to official documents. | Ms Park, 65, is alleged to have been personally involved in this, and to have given Ms Choi unacceptable levels of access to official documents. |
Parliament voted to impeach Ms Park in December. | Parliament voted to impeach Ms Park in December. |
On 10 March, the Constitutional Court ruled that Ms Park's actions "seriously impaired the spirit of... democracy and the rule of law". | On 10 March, the Constitutional Court ruled that Ms Park's actions "seriously impaired the spirit of... democracy and the rule of law". |
Judges said she had broken the law by allowing Ms Choi to meddle in state affairs, and had breached guidelines on official secrets by leaking numerous documents. | Judges said she had broken the law by allowing Ms Choi to meddle in state affairs, and had breached guidelines on official secrets by leaking numerous documents. |
Ms Park had "concealed completely Choi's meddling in state affairs and denied it whenever suspicions over the act emerged and even criticised those who raised the suspicions," the ruling said. | Ms Park had "concealed completely Choi's meddling in state affairs and denied it whenever suspicions over the act emerged and even criticised those who raised the suspicions," the ruling said. |
What could happen now? | |
Prosecutors are now questioning Ms Park in what could be a lengthy days-long process. | |
They had previously accused Ms Park of colluding with Ms Choi, which Ms Park has strenuously denied. She had also previously refused to take part in investigations. | |
But now that she has lost her presidential immunity, she could be charged for abuse of power and coercion to bribery. |