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Former president Park Geun-hye arrives at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office to be questioned as a criminal suspect

Park Geun-hye appeared before Prosecutors for questioning on the morning of Mar. 21. It is the fourth time Prosecutors have questioned a former President. If we are to make sure crimes like hers never happen again, it is of paramount importance that her misdeeds are clearly brought to light and fairly punished. It’s the only way our damaged Constitutional government system can be restored. The Prosecutors will need to carry out the mission assigned to them with a thorough investigation based in principles and the law.

Over the course of the Prosecutors’ and Special Prosecutor’s investigation, reams of evidence and statements have been gathered on the 13 charges against Park. It’s reportedly enough that the Prosecutors could simply add her statement to them and proceed immediately with an indictment even if she denies the charges. Most of the other people implicated besides Park are already under indictment. That said, this questioning can‘t simply be a pro forma process of receiving a suspect’s examination record. Park has denied all charges against her, and the Prosecutors are going to need to delve deeply into her falsehoods and farfetched claims.

There is simply no way this kind of government interference by people like Choi Sun-sil - using the President’s influence to gain their own concessions - could have taken place without the President’s knowledge. Indeed, the investigation findings show that Park used her power to actively support and orchestrate things. The approach of extorting money from businesses by pressuring them or promising them favorable treatment isn’t something that can be painted as “good will,” “acts of governance,” or “statecraft.” It’s government-business collusion, one of South Korean society‘s longstanding vices. The Prosecutors should not simply hear out whatever bizarre explanations Park has to offer.

The key part of the questioning is the bribery charges. The Prosecutors are going to need to inquire not only into the conspiratorial relationships between Park and Choi, but also the exchanges of improper requests and granting of favors between the two of them and corporations, including Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong. It’s also clear what the legal principles involved are. Given the sweeping power and dominant position a President holds in governance, money provided by corporations at one’s request must be seen as being clearly transactional and duty-related in nature. There is Supreme Court precedent for recognizing bribes exchanged under duress and coercion as bribes. If the questioning is done properly, Park looks unlikely to escape the bribery charges.

Park, for her part, need to start right now reflecting on and repenting for her misdeeds. This may well be her last chance to beg the people’s forgiveness. She will have a hard time avoiding arrest and severe punishment if she carries on the same bald-faced lies and improbable claims into this questioning. As she continues giving the impression of defying the Constitutional Court‘s ruling, the public’s calls to deal with her according to the law have only grown.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]