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By Lee Kyung-min
The whereabouts of President Park Geun-hye during the seven hours unaccounted for on the day of the Sewol ferry sinking will be the primary focus of this week's National Assembly hearings.
Expectations are high for the second round of hearings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday as well as an on-site inspection of Cheong Wa Dae on Friday, as questioning of related figures may incriminate Park, which could affect the Constitutional Court's determination on her impeachment as well as the ongoing independent counsel-led special investigation into Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.
Park's duties as President were immediately suspended following the Assembly vote that impeached her on Friday.
Last week, lawmakers grilled key figures over their suspected involvement in the influence-peddling scandal involving Choi. Those questioned include the country's business leaders and former and incumbent presidential aides as well as those close to Choi who allegedly pulled strings in state and business affairs.
For Wednesday's hearing, five medical personnel who served Park at the time will be questioned over the allegation that she was undergoing a medical procedure that day.
The doctors include Seoul National University Hospital head Suh Chang-suk, Yonsei University Severance Hospital General Director Lee Byung-seok and Kim Won-ho, the former chief of the Cheong Wa Dae in-house medical team.
Also to be questioned are two nurses surnamed Shin and Cho, respectively, who used to administer various fatigue-relieving and cosmetic injections to the President, over an allegation they did so in her residence during the seven critical hours. They earlier refused to give detailed answers about the allegation citing doctor-patient confidentiality.
Former Coast Guard head Kim Seok-gyun, then-national security chief Kim Jang-su and Cheong Wa Dae officials will appear as witnesses.
For Thursday's hearing, about 30 people will be questioned over other allegations regarding Park's abuse of power involving Choi.
The witnesses include former key aides to the President, Choi's ex-husband Chung Yoon-hoe, Ewha Womans University former head Choi Kyung-hee and Lee Seok-soo who was tasked as an independent presidential investigator with looking into irregularities involving Woo Byung-woo, the former presidential secretary for civil affairs.
Choi from Ewha Womans University resigned, taking responsibility over admission and grading irregularities involving Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, and Lee was suspected of quitting amid a struggle with Park's aides.
For Friday's on-site inspection, the committee will visit Cheong Wa Dae's Presidential Security Service office, with a police officer and hairstylist Jeong Song-ju expected to be there as witnesses.
The committee will also visit two anti-aging clinics, one run by Kim Young-jae and the other affiliated with Cha Medical Group. Both are suspected of having treated the President that day.
