Ex-President Park fights arrest in Seoul court

Alex Jensen

SEOUL

Ousted President Park Geun-hye attended a hearing Thursday at a Seoul court in a move apparently aimed at avoiding jail time.

Seoul Central District Court is expected to decide by early Friday whether to accept a prosecution request for a warrant to detain Park, who would be the country’s third ex-president to be arrested.

Having failed to appear for her impeachment trial before being expelled from office March 10, Park was not obligated to attend the hearing Thursday. Park declined to comment as she arrived to court shortly before 10.30 a.m (0130GMT).

The former president faces more than a dozen charges connected to a massive power abuse and bribery scandal that has led to 30 other arrests, including Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong.

A bribery conviction is theoretically punishable with a life sentence.

Investigators filed the arrest warrant request Monday after interrogating Park for approximately 14 hours last week.

If the court refuses to issue the warrant, the prosecution could still decide to indict Park without detention.