S.Korean prosecutors plan to summon ousted president

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL (AA) - South Korean prosecutors are set to summon expelled President Park Geun-hye this week, according to an investigation official Tuesday.

Having been caught up in a massive power abuse scandal, Park lost her presidential protection from prosecution when the Constitutional Court upheld her impeachment on Friday.

Tuesday’s announcement ended speculation that investigators might have tried to avoid further political strife by waiting until after May’s expected snap election to question Park.

“We will decide tomorrow when to summon former President Park and inform her,” a prosecution official was quoted as telling reporters by local news agency Yonhap.

The official explained they are still reviewing the records handed over to them after the conclusion of a 70-day special probe last month.

In theory prosecutors will be able to forcibly interrogate Park, who had been able as president to resist questioning on several occasions.

She has already been named as a suspect while 30 others, including Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong, have been indicted in connection with wide-ranging allegations from bribery to the creation of a cultural blacklist.

It also emerged Tuesday that prosecutors will continue to investigate other conglomerates besides Samsung over claims they might have offered bribes in return for government support.