Ex-President Park expresses intention to attend Yoon’s inauguration ceremony: official

 Former President Park Geun-hye has expressed her intention to attend President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s inauguration ceremony next month, the chief of the inauguration preparatory committee said Wednesday.

The committee chief, Park Joo-sun, said the former president expressed her willingness when he visited her at her home in the southeastern city of Daegu and delivered a letter from Yoon and an official invitation to the May 10 ceremony.

“I believe I should offer my congratulations as the new government starts,” the former president was quoted as saying. “Given my current health condition, it is a little pressure for me to travel more than three hours, but I will try to get over it through exercise and rehabilitation.”

Asked whether the remark can be understood as her confirmation to attend the ceremony, Park Joo-sun said it can be interpreted that way.

Earlier this month, Yoon visited Park’s home and invited her to the inauguration ceremony. Park then said she was not sure whether she could attend it due to her health condition.

In regard to whether Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will attend the inauguration ceremony, Park Joo-sun said Yoon’s delegation in Tokyo has delivered an intention to invite Kishida, but has yet to receive an answer.

The inauguration preparatory committee earlier said about 41,000 people will be invited to the ceremony that will take place at a plaza in front of the National Assembly.