South Korea's disgraced ex-president Park returns home after prison (updated)

Lotte

24/03/2022 04:52

(Updates with Park comment after arrival home)
    By Hyonhee Shin
    SEOUL, March 24 (Reuters) - Former South Korean President
Park Geun-hye left hospital on Thursday three months after she
was released from prison where she spent nearly five years
following a conviction on corruption charges.
    Park, 70, became the country's first democratically elected
leader to be forced from office when the Constitutional Court
upheld a parliament vote in 2017 to impeach her over a scandal
that also landed the chiefs of two conglomerates, Samsung and
Lotte, in jail. 
    "As president, I tried to work hard for the country and the
people but there are many dreams that were not achieved," Park,
dressed in a dark navy coat and holding a purse, told hundreds
of cheering supporters after arriving at her home in the
southeastern city of Daegu.
    "But those dreams are tasks for others," Park said,
signalling no intention of returning to the political fray. "I
will provide support so that talented people can contribute to
the development of my hometown of Daegu and the country."
    Park is the daughter of former dictator Park Chung-hee and
her imprisonment divided a country in which old Cold War rivalry
between right and left still shapes politics.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2VD08C 
    An unidentified object was thrown at Park shortly after she
began delivering her televised remarks from a podium but she
smiled and thanked the crowd.
    "I am extremely grateful that so many people came to warmly
greet me even though I had numerous shortcomings and
disappointed you," she said.
    The Supreme Court last year upheld Park's sentence of 20
years in prison for colluding with a friend, who was also
jailed, to receive millions of dollars from the companies,
mostly to fund her friend's family and non-profit groups.
    Outgoing President Moon Jae-in, who heads a liberal
administration, granted Park a special pardon in December,
citing her deteriorating health and his hopes to move past the
"unfortunate history" and promote national unity.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2TG0OS
    Earlier, as Park left the Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul,
she told some 40 supporters that her health had improved. Dozens
of officials who served in her administration and her
conservative political party also gathered to offer their best
wishes.
    Park then visited her father's grave before heading home.
    Park's release comes days after a presidential election won
by conservative candidate Yoon Suk-yeol.
    President-elect Yoon, who was in involved in the
investigation of the corruption charges against Park when he
served as prosecutor-general, said during the election campaign
that he was sorry about what happened to her.
    On Thursday, he said he hoped to meet her and would invite
her to his inauguration in May. 
    Moon's office said he had sent Park an orchid and wished her
well. 

 (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin;
Editing by Robert Birsel)
 ((hyonhee.shin@thomsonreuters.com;))