Ex-president Park coming to Yoon's inauguration

Politics

Published: 27 Apr. 2022, 18:33 Updated: 27 Apr. 2022, 18:35

Ex-president Park coming to Yoon's inauguration

The presidential inauguration preparatory committee chief Park Joo-sun delivers President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's invitation to the May 10 inauguration ceremony to former President Park Geun-hye (left) at her home in Daegu on Tuesday in this photo provided by the committee. [YONHAP]

Former President Park Geun-hye will attend President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s inauguration on May 10.

The inauguration preparatory committee said Wednesday that its chief, Park Joo-sun, visited the former president at her home in Daegu the previous day and delivered a handwritten letter from Yoon and an invitation to the inauguration. Yoo Yeong-ha, former president Park's lawyer and aide, attended the 20-minute meeting.

“I believe I should congratulate the new government on its start,” the former president was quoted as saying.

“Although it is burdensome to travel more than three hours in my current health condition, I will make sure I can endure it through exercise and rehabilitation,” Park added, according to the committee.

As a result, outgoing President Moon Jae-in and former President Park are expected to meet at the inauguration.

Park was impeached in December 2016 and removed from office in March 2017 over an influence-peddling scandal involving her confidante Choi Soon-sil, after which Moon was voted into office. She was convicted of corruption and abuse of power and sentenced to a total of 22 years in prison.

Park received a special pardon from Moon last December due to deteriorating health and was formally released on New Year's Eve, though she remained hospitalized in Seoul. She was released from the hospital late last month.

Moon recently said he will attend the inauguration.

In a final press conference at the Nokjiwon presidential garden in the Blue House in central Seoul Monday, Moon said he planned to leave the Blue House at the end of the workday on May 9, spend the night elsewhere, attend Yoon's inauguration the following day and head to his newly constructed retirement home in Pyeongsan Village in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, immediately afterward.

The inauguration preparation committee is also discussing ways to invite former presidents’ wives and other relatives to the ceremony. Kim Yoon-ok, wife of former President Lee Myung-bak is being considered for an invitation. Lee is not being invited because he is in prison for embezzlement and bribery.

Lawyer Roh Jae-hun, son of the late President Roh Tae-woo and member of the presidential transition team's Committee on National Unity, and Kim In-kyu, grandson of the late President Kim Young-sam, may also be invited. Kim In-kyu is a staffer on the transition team.

The preparatory committee plans to announce invitations to former presidents’ relatives next week.

Regarding the invitation given Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, preparatory committee chief Park Joo-sun said in a press conference Wednesday that they “haven’t yet received any response.”

Yoon Suk-yeol’s special delegation met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday and delivered a personal letter from Korea's president-elect.

BY HA SU-YOUNG, SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]