A South Korean special prosecutors’ team Monday questioned former Presidential Secretary Ahn Bong-geun as part of its probe into allegations that President Park Geun-Hye allowed her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil to meddle in state affairs.

Ahn, 51, showed up at special counsel Park Young-soo’s office in southern Seoul, appearing in public for the first time in almost three months. While in hiding, the former official had repeatedly ignored summons by the Constitutional Court to attend President Park’s impeachment trial. 

One of the longest-serving aides of Park, Ahn is believed to have knowledge about the Park-Choi ties and the alleged irregularities surrounding the two. He is suspected of playing a part in Park’s alleged leaking of confidential documents to Choi and assisting Choi and Park’s doctors and therapists in their clandestine visits to the presidential residence.

Ahn and two other former secretaries Jung Ho-sung and Lee Jae-man are described by local media as the “doorknob trio” for monopolizing access to the intensely private president. Jung has been arrested on charges including leaking government information.

The independent counsel has investigated doctors who treated Park both officially and unofficially as part of its investigation into the corruption scandal.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)