South Korea's disgraced ex-president Park returns home after prison
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[March 24, 2022]
By Hyonhee Shin
SEOUL (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.
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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.
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![](../images/032422PIX/news_a57.jpg)
South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye speaks to reporters as
she leaves the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, March
24, 2022. REUTERS/ Heo Ran
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/Mar/24/images/ads/current/rohlfs_lda_072017.png) 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.
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)
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