South Korea's ousted president Park Geun-Hye arrived at court Thursday for a hearing to decide whether she should be arrested over the corruption and abuse of power scandal that brought her down.
Looking grim-faced and pale, Park ignored reporters' questions and a barrage of flashbulbs at the Seoul Central District Court, and walked upstairs for the hearing, expected to last several hours.
Her formal detention and transfer to custody would be a key step in the disgrace of South Korea's first woman president, who secured the largest vote share of any candidate in the democratic era when she was elected in 2012.
Park had her removal from office confirmed by the country's top court earlier this month, ending her executive immunity, and her prosecution has been a key demand of the millions of people who took to the streets to protest against her.
The former president is accused of multiple offences including bribery, leaking government information, and abuse of power in the scandal. Park has denied all charges.
Prosecutors have submitted around 120,000 pages of documents to the Seoul Central District Court in relation to the charges against Park, and said it would be "counter to the principle of fairness" if she was not arrested.
The 65-year-old was driven away from her home in southern Seoul past hundreds of flag-waving, screaming supporters lining the narrow street.
Some tried to break through police barricades in an effort to block her four-car convoy, and its journey was broadcast live on television.
South Korea’s ousted president Park Geun-Hye arrived at court Thursday for a hearing to decide whether she should be arrested over the corruption and abuse of power scandal that brought her down.
Looking grim-faced and pale, Park ignored reporters’ questions and a barrage of flashbulbs at the Seoul Central District Court, and walked upstairs for the hearing, expected to last several hours.
Her formal detention and transfer to custody would be a key step in the disgrace of South Korea’s first woman president, who secured the largest vote share of any candidate in the democratic era when she was elected in 2012.
Park had her removal from office confirmed by the country’s top court earlier this month, ending her executive immunity, and her prosecution has been a key demand of the millions of people who took to the streets to protest against her.
The former president is accused of multiple offences including bribery, leaking government information, and abuse of power in the scandal. Park has denied all charges.
Prosecutors have submitted around 120,000 pages of documents to the Seoul Central District Court in relation to the charges against Park, and said it would be “counter to the principle of fairness” if she was not arrested.
The 65-year-old was driven away from her home in southern Seoul past hundreds of flag-waving, screaming supporters lining the narrow street.
Some tried to break through police barricades in an effort to block her four-car convoy, and its journey was broadcast live on television.
