South Korea's top prosecutor said Thursday the prosecution will decide whether to seek the arrest of former President Park Geun-hye only on the basis of the law and principles and the results of the investigation.

The former president returned home Wednesday after a 21-hour interrogation at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office as she faces allegations of bribery, abuse of power, coercion and leaking government secrets.

"Whether to seek an arrest warrant is an issue to be decided solely based on law, principle and the progress of the investigation," Prosecutor-General Kim Soo-nam told reporters as he arrived at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seoul.

It was the first time the top prosecutor made a comment on the possible detention of Park.

He is known to be in talks with senior officials at the prosecution to decide on the matter.

A number of Park's former aides, as well as her close friend and Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of Samsung Group, were arrested and put on trial over their alleged involvement in the influence-peddling scandal that removed Park from office.

Some critics say the former president should not be exempted from arrest when most others who have been named as her accomplice have been put behind bars. Others say the prosecution could decide not to seek an arrest as it can have an influence on the upcoming presidential election.

The election, which was originally scheduled for December, have been moved up to May 9, after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of Park Geun-hye on March 10. (Yonhap)