South Korea’s impeached ex-president Park Geun-Hye left the Blue House Sunday, issuing an apology for not completing her full term as she arrived back at her private residence.
Park vacated the presidential complex, accompanied by tight security, two days after the Constitutional Court verdict removing her from office over a massive corruption scandal.
The court upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach Park, effectively removing her from office over a corruption scandal involving her close friend.
But she had remained at the presidential Blue House since the verdict, citing the need to repair her private home in southern Seoul before moving in.
The ousted leader, seen greeting supporters outside her property Sunday evening, later issued an apology through a former spokesman.
“I would like to express an apology for failing to fulfil my term,” Park said, according to the local news agency.
“Although it may take time, I believe the truth will eventually be revealed,” she added.
The court ruling removed Park’s presidential immunity to criminal indictment.
She has already been named a criminal suspect, accused of bribery for offering policy favors to firms that benefited Choi.
For months she has refused to make herself available for questioning by prosecutors probing the scandal.
Live television footage followed her motorcade as it drove from the Blue House to Park’s private residence in southern Seoul.
A smiling Park was seen waving to her supporters from inside her black vehicle as it pulled up to her home in the glitzy Gangnam district.
Hundreds of Park’s flag-waving supporters had gathered outside her home, with some 2,000 police officers deployed to prevent any disturbances, according to reports. (AFP)