S.Korean court ends longest-ever hearing on warrant to arrest ex-president Park

SEOUL, March 30 -- A South Korean court on Thursday ended the longest-ever hearing here on a warrant to arrest former President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached earlier this month.

For security reason, Park rode to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' office, a building next to the Seoul Central District Court where she appealed to a judge for her innocence for almost nine hours from 10:30 a.m. local time.

The 65-year-old looked tired for the long-running hearing, TV footage showed, as she was flanked by two female investigators to get into a black sedan offered by prosecutors.

The special investigation headquarters of the Seoul prosecutors' office, in charge with the probe into a corruption scandal embroiling Park, said via text message that Park will wait for the court's decision at a temporary detention unit in the 10th floor of the office.

The decision is widely forecast to be made in the early morning hours Friday as a number of charges were levied at Park.

Prosecutors already identified Park as an accomplice to her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil, who is now in custody, for multiple charges including bribery, abuse of authority, coercion and the leakage of confidential documents.

Park was grilled by prosecutors nine days ago as she lost immunity from criminal prosecution while in office. She was permanently removed from office on March 10 in a historic ruling to uphold the impeachment motion on her.

Prosecutors sought to arrest Park earlier this week. If issued, Park would be the third South Korean former leader to be taken into custody.