South Korean National Assembly conducts live investigation at President Park's office

Despite the disagreement of President Park Geun-hye's Office, a National Assembly committee announced that it will still conduct an on-site investigation.

On December 16, the South Korean National Assembly committee in charge of investigating allegations of corruption against President Park Geun-hye said they will conduct an investigation at the Presidential Office and at a local medical facility.

Ms. Park. Photo: Korea Herald.

Committee members plan to visit the Presidential Security Service. But it is unclear whether they will be able to conduct the investigation because the representative of the President's Office has refused the committee's visit, citing security reasons.

The committee also plans to visit a hospital in Seoul where Park and her close friend Choi Soon-sil are accused of receiving illegal medical treatment.

Last week, Ms. Park was impeached amid allegations that Ms. Choi had influenced state affairs for her own benefit, even though she had no official position. Prosecutors said Ms. Park was an accomplice to Ms. Choi’s crimes.

The South Korean presidential office said on December 16 that its stance remains unchanged.

“The presidential office is one of the key security facilities. There has never been any on-site investigation,” an official from the agency told Yonhap news agency.

The Blue House also cited the criminal code, which prohibits investigating such facilities without consent.

However, Saenuri Party lawmaker Kim Sung-tae, who heads the National Assembly's investigation team, said the team will still proceed with the investigation plan.

“Even if this is a security facility, it cannot be used as an excuse to avoid investigation. If they avoid investigation, they will face a wave of public opposition,” said Congressman Kim.

The National Assembly Committee has held a series of hearings in the National Assembly since last week, summoning key figures involved in the scandal. Among those summoned are former staff members of the President's Office and tycoons./.

According to VOV