Pardoned ex-S.Korean President discharged from hospital

Seoul, March 24 (IANS) South Korea's ousted President Park Geun-hye, who was pardoned last December after spending four years and nine months in prison on a 22-year sentence for corruption, has been discharged from hospital on Thursday.Park had been receiving treatment for a chronic illness since November at the Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul, reports Yonhap News Agency. "I offer my greetings to people after five years," the former leader said to mediapersons outside the hospital. "Thanks for your concerns, I have recovered a lot."She did not answer questions before getting into a car.About 40 supporters, who had been waiting for her in front of the hospital since early morning, cheered her on as she spoke. Among the crowd were former officials of her administration, including her former chief of staff Kim Ki-choon.Wreaths and banners lined the streets leading to the hospital, while riot police were deployed.Park, 70, was scheduled to visit the grave of her late father and former president Park Chung-hee at Seoul National Cemetery before heading to her new residence in Daegu, about 300 km southeast of Seoul.
--IANS ksk/

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