S. Korean prosecutors to seek arrest warrant for ex-president Park

South Korea's ousted President Park Geun-hye arrives at a prosecutor's office in Seoul, South Korea, March 21, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

SEOUL - South Korean prosecutors decided on Monday to seek an arrest warrant for former President Park Geun-hye, who was removed from office earlier this month, in a corruption investigation.

Park has been branded as a criminal accomplice to her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil, who is now in custody, for multiple charges including bribery, abuse of power and extortion. A total of 13 charges were levied at Park.

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong has been taken into custody for his involvement in offering tens of millions of US dollars in bribes to Choi in return for receiving assistance to inherit the management control of Samsung Group, the country's biggest family-controlled conglomerate.

Choi is charged with extorting tens of millions of US dollars from scores of business conglomerates to establish two nonprofit foundations she used for personal gains.

She is also accused of meddling in state affairs behind the scenes by receiving government documents with state secrets on a regular basis from one of Park's former presidential secretaries.

Park has denied all the charges, saying the truth will be revealed though it takes time.

Dozens of former senior government officials and presidential secretaries have been in custody for involvement in the influence-peddling scandal.

Meanwhile, concerns are raised that strong backlash could come out from conservative politicians if the former president appears on TV dressed in a prison uniform and handcuffed.

It could influence the upcoming presidential election scheduled for May 9. Not a few elderly, conservative voters still regard Park Chung-hee, the ousted leader's father, as an icon who led the country's industrialization.

The memory of old voters toward the elder Park, who had ruled the country for 18 years before his assassination in 1979, helped the younger Park win several elections, including the 2012 presidential election, in past decades.

The younger Park still has a handful of elderly, conservative supporters who feel pity for her loss of parents in her 20s and believe Park's impeachment is not legitimate.