SKorean president to ‘fight’ impeachment

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL

South Korean President Park Geun-hye will battle to prove her innocence, her legal team insisted Friday, as they met the Constitutional Court’s deadline to present a written defense against her impeachment.

Facing more than a dozen charges including five constitutional violations, Park has been under intense pressure to step down since a scandal erupted around her in October.

Millions of people have taken part in street protests over recent weeks amid media exclusives alleging brazen power abuse and shady donations involving Park, her aides, business leaders and a secret confidante who is now a household name: Choi Soon-sil.

This is a case that has eroded the backing of Park supporters who feel betrayed by the claim that she allowed the unelected Choi to influence state affairs -- and which has fueled the fears of opponents always suspicious that she would lead the country back to its authoritarian past.

Having refused to obey public demands for her resignation, the president was impeached by an overwhelming parliamentary majority last week, which triggered a 180-day period for the Constitutional Court to either confirm the ousting or reinstate Park.

With Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn now acting as president, Park has been left to focus on defending herself.

“There is no reason for impeachment,” her lawyer Lee Joong-hwan told reporters, rejecting any violation of the constitution on his client’s part and denying that she broke the law.

“We will fight over all the facts and legal matters,” Lee vowed.

Meanwhile, lawmakers were blocked on security grounds Friday from inspecting presidential office entry logs in their efforts to solve the alleged mystery of Park’s "seven missing hours" on the day of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster -- which claimed 304 lives, most of the victims high school students.

The president’s failure to act as the tragedy unfolded is among her impeachment charges, but her lawyer said it was an “unfortunate accident” that Park is not responsible for.