New Delhi: A South Korean court on Friday sentenced 24 years jail term to former President Park Geun-hye, for corruption and abuse of power. South Korea’s first female president was convicted after being found guilty of crimes that exposed deep links between politics and the nation’s corporate giants.
She was not present in the courtroom to hear the final sentencing, as she has largely boycotted her 10 months trial.
A childhood friendship lies at the heart of the disgraced fall. Ms. Park was found to have conspired with her close friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure conglomerates for bribes in return for political favors. She was convicted of demanding more than $20 million from conglomerates, sharing secret state documents with Choi, ordering officials to stop offering state subsidies to “blacklisted” artists critical of her policies, and firing officials who resisted her abuses of power.
“The accused abused the power bestowed by the people — the true ruler of this country — to cause chaos in national administration,” said Judge Kim Se-yoon. “Despite all these crimes the accused denied all the charges against her, displayed no remorse and showed an incomprehensible attitude by blaming Choi and other … officials,” he said, referring to Park’s secret confidante and long-time friend Choi Soon-sil.
“Park has denied all charges against her and expressed no remorse or atonement — legally as well as politically — for what’s probably the most shocking political scandal in our modern history,” said Mr. Jeong Han-wool, an analyst at the Seoul Hankook Research think-tank.
Hundreds of Protesters gathered outside the Seoul courthouse in support of the country’s first ever woman leader, waving flags, carrying banners, and chanting slogans proclaiming her innocence. This case came as shock for South Koreans and they followed this with interest. Keeping public’s interest in mind sentencing was broadcasted live which is very unusual in any country.
