Impeached S Korean president refuting all charges heralds stiff court battle

Park held a rare meeting with local journalists on Sunday, the first day of the year, denying all allegations on her involvement in the scandal. It was viewed by some as a strategy to turn public opinion into favor of her.

The presidential Blue House told some media outlets that President Park plans to have such press meetings at an appropriate time, heralding her counterattack through the press as well as via her counsels on the court.

Some domestic newspapers condemned the meeting by the suspended president, who is only allowed to defend herself in the court as an individual.

Rep. Kwon Seong-dong, who leads the assembly's judiciary committee, rapped Park for the press meeting, urging the impeached chief executive to appear in the court to prove her innocence.

Kwon and two other lawmakers of the committee, assisted by 11 attorneys, are playing a role as the prosecution office because the parliament has the right to impeach a president and the impeachment motion is on trial in the constitutional court, not in a court of law.

President Park's legal team, composed of 9 lawyers, claimed no breach of law in such press meetings, saying Park would not appear in the courtroom under normal situations.

Before the impeachment, Park had repeatedly refused calls for the direct interrogation of herself by prosecutors despite her previous promise in her address to the nation. It enraged the general public further along with Park's confession to no wrongdoings.

Park said she would actively cooperate with investigations by an independent counsel team, which she appointed for herself, but it remained to be seen whether she would accept the questioning by the team which is dedicating to the presidential scandal.