Impeached Park in solitary confinement

This article is more than 12 months old

Dec 19, 2016 06:00 am

SEOUL South Korea's presidential Blue House has been something of a family home for Ms Park Geun Hye, but the luxury residence has now become a place of solitary confinement for the impeached, isolated leader.

Ms Park, 64, has twice called the Blue House home: First as the daughter of late military strongman Park Chung Hee and then as president herself - a cumulative period of 20 years.

After being impeached by Parliament over a week ago due to a corruption scandal, Ms Park's presidential powers have been transferred to the Prime Minister. The move has left her with a months-long empty schedule within the walls of the complex, as she waits for the final act of her impeachment drama to play out.

The only encroachment from outside is the deafening chanting of hundreds of thousands of protesters who have taken to the streets of Seoul every Saturday for the past two months to demand she either resign or be removed.

Ms Park's movements are restricted to the residential part of the 250,000 sq m compound. Her offices, some 200m from her living quarters, are off-limits.

Aides said she spends her time resting and preparing for her impeachment. - AFP