March 15, 2017•Update: March 15, 2017
By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
Ex-South Korean President Park Geun-hye has been summoned for questioning by state investigators, a prosecution official revealed at a briefing Wednesday.
The order to appear at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office next Tuesday morning follows last Friday’s decision by the Constitutional Court to uphold Park’s parliamentary impeachment.
“We have received the summons,” Park's lawyer Son Bum-kyu confirmed in a brief text statement carried by Yonhap News Agency. “We will fully cooperate with the investigation.”
Park had until last week been able to avoid being interrogated thanks to her presidential status.
The ex-leader faces 13 charges ranging from power abuse to bribery, with state prosecutors resuming control of the investigation after the conclusion of a 70-day special counsel probe.
A total of 30 suspects including Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong have already been indicted in connection with the scandal.
While Park is the country’s first democratically elected leader to be expelled from office, three other former South Korean presidents have previously been questioned due to criminal allegations.
The South is expected to hold a snap election around May 9. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is set to continue in his role as acting president in the meantime.
