Park Geun-hye testifies before the National Assembly about the Sewol ferry sinking

South Korean President accused of failing to provide timely direction in the Sewol ferry disaster.

On December 14, the South Korean National Assembly began the third round of hearings into the corruption scandal involving South Korean President Park Geun-hye. The third round of hearings focused on the president's alleged failure to provide timely guidance during the Sewol ferry disaster on April 16, 2014.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has been suspended from office by the National Assembly pending an investigation. (Photo: Getty)

Of the 16 people summoned, 13 appeared before a special parliamentary committee, including former Park aides and medical experts, who were questioned over allegations of failing to fulfill their responsibilities during the “seven missing hours.”

The South Korean presidential office argued that President Park Geun-hye was given a written update on the day of the disaster but did not provide details of exactly what Park did at the time.

It is rumoured that Ms Park was receiving medical care and hairstyling during the “critical hours” after the Sewol ferry sank.

Last week, South Korea's National Assembly impeached Park for failing to fulfill her constitutional presidential duty to protect people's lives.

Notable figures present at the latest hearing included Kim Young-jae and Cha Kwang-yul, hospital leaders who were frequent visitors to Choi Soon-sil – Park's close friend and the central figure in South Korea's current political scandal.

However, three other key figures including nurse Cho Yeo-ok did not appear due to personal reasons. Meanwhile, Cho, who lives in the US, is expected to appear at the South Korean National Assembly next week.

A special parliamentary committee said it would conduct an on-site investigation into the president's security office on December 16. However, the president's office rejected the plan, saying the investigation could lead to the leak of classified information.

In two hearings last week, a special committee of the South Korean National Assembly questioned business partners and Choi Soon-sil, a close friend of President Park.

According to VOV