April 27, 2024

• 

[THE INVESTOR] On the day the ferry Sewol sank, President Park Geun-hye began work at 9 a.m. at her home office due to her poor physical condition, and received reports via telephone, fax or documents delivered by hand. 

She spoke with her national security adviser on the phone for a total of seven times about the ferry accident, according to a 19-page document submitted by her lawyers for her impeachment trial on Jan.10.

However, the document detailing the president’s actions on April 16, 2014 was dismissed by the Constitutional Court as “insufficient,” during the third hearing of her impeachment trial. 

Park’s alleged seven-hour absence and negligence of duty to save people’s lives during the maritime disaster, which left more than 300 people dead or missing, is one of the key reasons behind her impeachment on Dec. 9 by the parliament.

The 19-page document features a timeline for the briefings and reports she received from her aides during the ferry disaster as well as her reactions to them.  

But the Constitutional Court took issue with the explanation, saying it falls short of details on what Park was doing while the ferry was sinking and when and how she first learned about the accident.

“We asked President Park to reveal what she did on the day, but the document appears to be insufficient (in explaining it). It only includes what orders she gave and what reports she received,” the court said, asking Park to “recall” her memories in order to clarify her actions while the ferry was capsizing.

The court also asked Park to turn in records of phone calls with her presidential aides to back up her claims and submit a document on her whereabouts during the accident again.

In the third formal hearing to review the legitimacy of Park’s impeachment, three key witnesses -- Park’s longtime friend Choi Soon-sil as well as ex-presidential aides Jeong Ho-seong and An Chong-bum -- were scheduled to testify before the court.

But they all refused to appear, citing the hearing’s possible impact on their own criminal trials.In what appears to be a warning to the witnesses who have refused to appear before the justices, the court said it will forcibly bring in the witnesses if they fail to testify again at the upcoming hearings.

The court sternly renewed calls for cooperation from both the National Assembly’s impeachment committee and Park’s lawyers in submitting relevant documents and evidence in an apparent attempt to quicken the court proceedings.

According to Park’s defense paper, submitted 19 days upon the court’s request, Park was briefed by presidential aides at 10 a.m., one hour after the ferry started to capsize off the nation’s southwest coast.

Park worked from her residence at the presidential office, as she did not feel well that day and had no official schedule, the document said. She reviewed reports and was briefed about state affairs via email, fax and post. Only a nursing officer and hair stylist visited her residence while the ferry was sinking.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)