Detained former President Park Geun-hye, who is currently on trial for corruption, visited a general hospital outside jail confines, complaining of pain in her back. It was the second time since her detention in March that she was allowed to step outside the jail, other than to attend interrogation sessions during the investigation or for court dates. In late July, she visited the hospital to have an injured toe examined.

Park was escorted out of the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, to Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital in the morning and was treated for her back pain, a corrections official said. 

“Park complained of a backache. She received treatment in the facility, but said it did not get better, so she was allowed to visit a hospital outside,” the official said.

In her earlier hospital visit on July 28, she was treated on the fourth toe on her left foot. She had previously claimed toe pain and missed three court dates consecutively -- on July 10, 11 and 13.

At the time, she had an MRI and a regular checkup, including a dental check. Inside the hospital, she was moved to a gurney and rolled inside a thick blanket to avoid the press.

On Wednesday’s visit, she had a thorough checkup for indigestion in addition to her back, and is reported to have come back to the detention center before noon.

Park is currently on trial on charges over a corruption and coercion scandal that led to her ouster. She was impeached by the National Assembly last year and was removed from office by the Constitutional Court on March 10.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)