The prosecution in South Korea has decided not to allow suspension of imprisonment for former President Park Geun-hye.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said a seven-member panel made up of prosecutors and outside experts reached the decision on Thursday. 

The panel reported its decision to chief prosecutor of the district prosecutors’ office  Yoon Seok-yeol, who is expected to approve it soon. 

Last week, lawyers for the 67-year-old ex-president, who is in jail for corruption and abuse of power, asked for a suspension of her imprisonment citing “searing back pain” caused by a spinal disc herniation.

In response, prosecutors and doctors visited Park for about an hour on Monday at the Seoul Detention Center to examine her physical condition.

Criminal Procedure Law allows special suspensions for serious health problems, but according to legal experts, it has never been granted for back pain.

On top of being sentenced to a 25-year prison term and receiving a 20 billion won, or 17-point-seven million dollars, fine from the appellate court for corruption, Park was given a two-year sentence for illegally influencing the candidate election process for the then-ruling Saenuri Party ahead of the 2016 general election. Park was impeached in 2017.