Impeached ROK President Park leaves presidential palace

World Today

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye waves to her supporters from her vehicle upon her arrival at her private home in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 12, 2017. (See Myung-gon/Yonhap via AP)

Ousted former South Korean President Park Geun-hye has vacated the presidential residence two days after she was formally impeached by the country’s constitutional court.

CGTN’s Jack Barton reports from Seoul.

South Korea’s impeached former leader left the presidential residence known as the Blue House in a motorcade flanked by police. Hundreds of flag waving supporters were waiting outside Park Geun-hye’s house to greet her.

Park spoke to a few of those gathered, but it was her spokesman who delivered her statement.

“I apologize that I could not finish my mandate as a president. I appreciate all the people who have trusted in me and supported me. I take responsibility for the outcome of all of this. It will take time, but I believe the truth will be revealed,” Min Kyung-Wook, Spokesman for Park said.

Only a minority of South Koreans support Park, but that support is strong, as is their condemnation of her impeachment.

Park Geun-hye’s supporters maintain the ousted president is innocent, pointing out that even the prosecutor has not accused her of personally profiting or taking money from any of the big conglomerates.

But, the prosecutor does believe there is evidence Park helped her friend Choi Soon-sil coerce millions of dollars out of big companies like Samsung in return for political favors. Choi and the acting head of Samsung are already on trial.

Just before Park left the Blue House, opposition leader Moon Jae-in said her departure should mark the start rather than the end of the country’s transformation.

Moon Jae-in, who favors a softer approach with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, currently leads the polls as the country heads to snap elections that will be held no later than May ninth.