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Ousted S Korean President Park Geun-hye questioned for 14 hours | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye is expected to be released by prosecutors after a 14-hour interrogation over a corruption scandal that brought her down. | |
Ms Park denied all charges on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported, citing sources. | |
She could be charged for allegedly allowing close friend Choi Soon-sil to extort money from large firms. | 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. | Ms Choi has been charged with bribery and corruption. |
After arriving at the office, she told reporters she was "sorry to the people," adding: "I will faithfully co-operate with questioning." | |
Ms Park did not exercise her right to remain silent during the marathon questioning session, which lasted late into the night, officials said. | |
She will leave the prosecutors' office after checking the records of her statements for accuracy, according to her lawyer. | |
When asked if an arrest warrant was likely to be issued for Ms Park, prosecutors said they were "concentrating on the interrogation", local media report. | |
Ms Park resisted efforts to question her when she was president, but lost her immunity when judges upheld parliament's decision to impeach her. | |
One of her lawyers said a doctor was doing check-ups during breaks "as her health isn't looking well". | |
On Tuesday morning, 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. | People waved the South Korean flag, a symbol of the pro-Park movement. |
Ms Park is the first democratically elected leader to be ousted in South Korea. | 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. However, there were also angry protests by her supporters outside the Constitutional Court. | Thousands of people celebrated in Seoul after her removal from office on 10 March. However, there were also angry protests by her supporters outside the Constitutional Court. |
The court ruling was the culmination of months of political turmoil and public protest. An election will now be held by 9 May. | The court ruling was the culmination of months of political turmoil and public protest. An election will now be held by 9 May. |
Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is loyal to Ms Park, is currently the acting president. | Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is loyal to Ms Park, is currently 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. |
Analysis - Stephen Evans, Korea Correspondent, BBC News | Analysis - Stephen Evans, Korea Correspondent, BBC News |
Sorry is the hardest word. Park Geun-hye used it again today, on the way into her inquisition. She said it nine days ago when she was evicted from the presidential palace - she was sorry that she couldn't fulfil her presidential duties until the end of her elected term. | Sorry is the hardest word. Park Geun-hye used it again today, on the way into her inquisition. She said it nine days ago when she was evicted from the presidential palace - she was sorry that she couldn't fulfil her presidential duties until the end of her elected term. |
And last year, she was "sorry for causing concern among the people". | And last year, she was "sorry for causing concern among the people". |
But the plethora of apologies still hasn't added up to an admission of any wrongdoing (beyond being too trusting of those around her). | But the plethora of apologies still hasn't added up to an admission of any wrongdoing (beyond being too trusting of those around her). |
Even as she said sorry last week, she asserted that her innocence will emerge. Which it may. | Even as she said sorry last week, she asserted that her innocence will emerge. Which it may. |
One thing had changed slightly in the period since her ousting and today's appearance before the prosecutor is when she returned home as a private citizen, she was all smiles and defiant. | One thing had changed slightly in the period since her ousting and today's appearance before the prosecutor is when she returned home as a private citizen, she was all smiles and defiant. |
Today, it was a wan smile - though, guilty or innocent, nobody would relish hours and hours of tough, detailed questions about what dirty deals were done - or not. | Today, it was a wan smile - though, guilty or innocent, nobody would relish hours and hours of tough, detailed questions about what dirty deals were done - or not. |
What could happen now? | What could happen now? |
Prosecutors will have to determine, based on their investigation and Ms Park's statements, whether to issue a warrant for her arrest. | |
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. | 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 with abuse of power and coercion to bribery. |