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Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye sentenced to 24-year prison term

Park Geun-hye was stated to have been involved in corruption schemes

South Korea’s former President Park Geun-hye EPA-EFE/JEON HEON-KYUN/POOL

South Korea’s former President Park Geun-hye

© EPA-EFE/JEON HEON-KYUN/POOL

SEOUL, April 6. /TASS/. South Korea’s former President Park Geun-hye has been sentenced to 24 years in prison and a 18 bln won (about $ 17.5 mln) fine over 16 criminal charges, according to a verdict released by Seoul Central District Court on Friday.

The court supported most part of charges placed against Park Geun-hye, including divulgence of state secrets, extortion, bribery and abuse of power.

Read also

South Korea parliament votes for impeachment of President Park

It was the first time in South Korea’s history a verdict was released on TV live, despite the defenders’ protests. Park Geun-hye herself refused to attend the court’s final hearing. Her lawyers have the right to appeal against the decision to a supreme court within a week.

A political scandal over the country’s former leader broke out in October 2016, when information that she was influenced by a close friend, Choi Soon-sil, emerged in the press. An investigation revealed that the latter was familiar with the details of state administration and intervened in the high-level decision-making process for decades. The ex-president’s friend also influenced a number of major companies to make them transfer tens of millions of dollars to funds controlled by her.

Park Geun-hye was stated to have been involved in Choi Soon-sil’s corruption schemes or at least aware of them. In early 2017, Park Geun-hye was removed from office following her impeachment.

In February 2018, the court recognized Choi Soon-sil guilty of corruption, extortion and abuse of power and sentenced to 20 years behind bars. She has to pay a $ 16.6 mln fine.

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