Prosecutors said Monday that they have indicted a South Korean activist on charges of defaming President Park Geun-hye over her whereabouts on the day of last year’s deadly ferry disaster.
Park Rae-gun, an activist who helped organize rallies on the Sewol ferry sinking, was charged with libel over his remarks at a press conference in June that Park allegedly did drugs or received beauty treatments on the day of the ferry sinking.
The 54-year-old activist said Park could have been getting botox injections or doing drugs for a seven-hour period on April 16 last year, referring to a time frame of between 10 a.m., when she first received a written report on the ferry accident, and around
5:10 p.m., when she visited the central disaster management office.
Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea’s presidential office, has repeatedly said Park was handling the situation inside the presidential compound during those seven hours.
The activist could face up to five years in prison or be fined a maximum of 10 million won ($8,600), if convicted.
The Sewol ferry capsized and sank off southwestern South Korea on April 16 last year, killing more than 300 people, mostly high school students. (Yonhap)
