Battered by massive protests and an impeachment push, South Korea’s President cried on Thursday during her first public appearance since a huge political scandal exploded in October.
President Park Geun-hye’s visit to a rural market came as opponents in Parliament squabble over whether to impeach her.
Meanwhile, police said they arrested a 48-year-old man who told investigators he used paint thinner to set fire to the birthplace of Ms. Park’s late father on Thursday because he was angry over her refusal to step down immediately over the scandal involving a confidant accused of influence peddling and extortion. A memorial hall for Ms. Park’s parents, ex-President Park Chung-hee and Yook Young-soo, was nearly burned down.
Ms. Park didn’t immediately comment publicly on the arson.
Earlier on Thursday, Ms. Park visited a market in the nearby city of Daegu where hundreds of shops had been destroyed by a previous fire.
Daegu is her political home turf where she was elected as a national lawmaker four times before becoming President in 2013.
Local TV showed dozens of people at the market shouting “Park Geun-hye!” and using cellphones to photograph her as she walked through the fire-ravaged shops. “Merchants [here] supported me whenever I had difficulties and I’m really sorry,” Ms. Park said during her visit, according to her office. “I agonised a lot over whether I should come here in the current situation.”
Ms. Park cried after returning to her car, her office said, citing presidential security staff who travelled with her. — AP
