South Korea's ex-President Park discharged from hospital

By Islamuddin Sajid

ANKARA (AA) - South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye on Thursday arrived at her home town in Daegu after being discharged from a hospital in Seoul.

The 70-year-old was pardoned in December after spending nearly five years in prison on a 22-year sentence for corruption. She was being treated for a chronic illness since November.

"I am thankful that so many people have come here to welcome me like this, even though I had a lot of shortcomings and disappointed you," Park told her supporters and well-wishers outside the medical facility, according to Yonhap News Agency.

"While serving as president, I worked hard for the country and for the people, but there are still lots of dreams that I failed to realize, and those dreams are now up to others," she added.

Before heading to Daegu, Park visited the grave of her late father and former President Park Chung-hee at the Seoul National Cemetery.

Meanwhile, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, a former prosecutor who investigated corruption allegations that led to the former head of state's impeachment and imprisonment in 2017, said he plans to visit Park.

"It is very good that she is going home after recovering," Yoon told reporters. "I am thinking of visiting provinces starting next week, and now that she's out of the hospital, I do have a plan to visit her."