S. Korea's ex-president Park back home after prison

SEOUL • Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye left hospital yesterday, three months after she was released from prison where she spent nearly five years following a conviction on corruption charges.

Ms Park 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," Ms Park, dressed in a dark navy coat and holding a purse, told hundreds of cheering supporters after arriving at her home in the south-eastern city of Daegu.

"But those dreams are tasks for others," Ms 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 home town of Daegu and the country."

Ms Park, 70, 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.

The Supreme Court last year upheld Ms 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.

President Moon Jae-in, who heads a liberal administration, granted Ms 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 Ms Park left the Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul, she told some 40 supporters that her health had improved. She has been receiving treatment for shoulder pain and dental problems as well as stress, according to local media.

Her release comes days after a presidential election won by conservative candidate Yoon Suk-yeol.

President-elect Yoon, who was involved in the investigation into the corruption charges against Ms Park when he served as prosecutor-general, said during the election campaign that he was sorry about what had happened to her.

Yesterday, he said he hopes to meet her and will invite her to his inauguration in May.

Mr Moon's office said he had sent Ms Park an orchid and wished her well.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE