Former South Korean president Park arrested in corruption probe

TOKYO – Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye was arrested early Friday so she could be questioned further over the corruption scandal that forced her from office just three weeks before.

Prosecutors had asked for a warrant to detain Park, citing the seriousness of the crimes and saying they were concerned she might destroy evidence, and the court granted the request.

During 14 hours of questioning last week, Park denied the charges of bribery, abuse of power, coercion and leaking government secrets that are being leveled against her.

Park, who is 65, was at the Seoul Central District Court for the nine-hour hearing on the arrest warrant, but declined to make any comment on her way in or out.

She becomes the third South Korean president to be arrested. But the previous two were both former army generals who held office immediately before and after South Korea’s transition to democracy in 1987.

TV footage from outside the court showed crowds of Park’s supporters calling for her to be released. About 2,000 police were present in case of violence between Park’s supporters and the much larger numbers of South Koreans who had been calling for her ouster and arrest.

Park lost her immunity from prosecution when South Korea’s Constitutional Court dismissed her from office on March 10 after concluding that she had “continuously” violated the law. Prosecutors have identified 13 charges that could be leveled against her, including bribery, abuse of power and leaking confidential information.

“A lot of evidence has been collected so far, but as the suspect denies most of the criminal allegations against her, there is a possibility of her destroying evidence,” the prosecution said in a statement Monday.

The scandal centers on Park’s relationship with Choi Soon-sil, her lifelong friend and confidante.

Park was a notoriously reclusive president – her former chief of staff said he would go weeks without seeing her, and some of her own ministers said they had never met with her in person – but she secretly was relying on Choi, who had no policy or political experience and no security clearance.

Choi is accused of extracting a total of $70 million from major businesses on the promise that they would get favorable treatment from Park’s government. Prosecutors have said that Park colluded in the scheme.

Choi is now on trial, as is Lee Jae-yong, the de facto head of Samsung, who is alleged to have given or promised to give Choi about $37 million. Choi is said to have offered to ensure government support for the merger of two Samsung units – crucial for Lee to retain control of the huge conglomerate.

Choi and Lee have also denied any wrongdoing.