When former President Park Geun-hye appeared at the prosecutors’ office Tuesday to be questioned over the corruption scandal that brought her down, a crowd of reporters gathered outside the building to see what Park’s first comments would be.

But her much-anticipated entrance did not live up to the hype. Confronted with a barrage of questions targeting the president’s overdue appearance, Park delivered only a two-sentence remark without any elaboration, “I am sorry to the people. I will respond faithfully to the investigation.”

The former president’s lack of public response -- Park had never appeared for questioning by prosecutors until Tuesday -- has sparked anger among citizens and pundits, who were eager to see the former state chief take responsibility for creating political turmoil.  

“She didn’t act like a president until the last moment,” said 60-year-old Hwang Yoon-chul, a conservative-minded businessman who voted for Park during the 2012 election. “She has always been that way since the scandal. I’m beyond disappointment.”

Some young voters who joined the massive candlelight vigils in downtown Seoul to campaign for Park’s ouster said her brief remark was “intentionally designed” to energize her loyal supporters by feigning innocence.

Since Park returned home last Sunday after being removed from power by the Constitutional Court, crowds of her supporters have gathered at the alley leading to her two-story house in Seoul, waving South Korean flags and shouting her name.

“If she talks too much, the message could be vague and draw pushback,” said 33-year-old office worker Kim Seong-kun. “I think her use of simple language is intended to deliver a false apology and her expression of sincerity to the questioning is aimed at uniting her supporters,” he said.

Lee Taek-gwang, a professor of cultural studies at Kyung Hee University, said Park is “in a denial phase,” referring to the “five stages of grief theory,” which postulates that people respond to trauma through a series of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

“Considering the fact that she was in power and didn’t physically commit crimes by herself, I think there is a big wall to prevent her from facing up to her wrongdoings,” said Lee. “But it is extremely difficult for her to move onto the next phase because she truly believes she is innocent.”

Outside of Park’s former ruling Liberty Korea Party and their presidential hopefuls, opposition parties and their presidential candidates have called for a “fair and thorough” investigation into Park and urged her to admit her wrongdoing.

But they remain divided over whether the prosecutors should ask the court to issue a warrant for Park, who, if indicted, would be the first former president to face trial since two former military dictators were imprisoned on corruption and mutiny charges in the mid-1990s.

“There was no message for public apology and national unity,” said Rep. Park Kyung-mee, spokeswoman for the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. “She has to submit herself to the prosecutors’ investigation. That is the least thing she should do as a former president.”

The liberal party’s front-runner Moon Jae-in, who has been unchallenged in recent polls for the upcoming presidential election on May 9, also urged the former president to admit her wrongdoing and ask for the people’s forgiveness.

But Moon has refrained from making comments on whether the court should issue a warrant for Park. Moon said earlier that it was “inappropriate” for presidential hopefuls to discuss the matter because it would affect the ongoing investigation into the former president.

South Chungcheong Gov. An Hee-jung also remained mum about seeking a warrant for Park, while Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung asserted that the court should not only seek a warrant but also ban her from going abroad.

As for the conservative camp, the Liberty Korea Party declined to comment on Park being summoned for investigation. However, its Floor Leader Chung Woo-taik later claimed that many would have felt sorry to see a former president summoned by the prosecution.

“Not only I but everyone must have felt sorry to see another former president and fourth in the country’s history appear before the prosecution,” Chung said at a party meeting. “I sincerely hope such a tragedy is never repeated.”

By Yeo Jun-suk (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)