SOUTH Korea’s scandal-hit president cried during a public appearance in a rural market yesterday in her latest bid to garner sympathy in the face of impeachment.

Park Geun Hye’s visit came as a famed arsonist was arrested for torching the shrine to her late dictator father.

Ms Park’s office claimed she wept after a handful of supporters chanted her name during a visit to a market in Daegu, a political stronghold of her right-wing Saenuri party.