EX-KOREAN PRESIDENT SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS
TOKYO • Former South Korean president Park Geunhye was Friday sentenced to 24 years in prison after being found guilty of charges including bribery, coercion and abuse of power.
The heavy sentence completed the sensational fall from grace for a political princess who became South Korea’s first female leader, but then went on to become its first president to be impeached a year ago.
Park, 66, continues to deny any wrongdoing, and has boycotted the court for the last six months.
For many South Koreans, who took to the streets by the hundreds of thousands to oust Park, the case starkly illustrated widespread feelings that the system is stacked against them. That feeling has only grown with the arrest of Park’s predecessor on unrelated corruption charges.
Together, the cases have added new momentum to efforts to revise South Korea’s constitution and dilute the power of the presidency.
In a damning verdict delivered Friday, judges in the Seoul Central District Court found Park guilty on 16 of the 18 charges levelled against her, including bribery, abuse of power, coercion and leaking government secrets.
The three judges found Park guilty of planning an elaborate extortion scheme with her confidante, Choi Soon-sil — allegations that she has strongly denied. Numerous supporters of Park’s gathered outside the court before the sentencing to protest her prosecution.
“Park, denying all of the charges, did not appear to be remorseful about her wrongdoings,” said Kim Se-yoon, the lead judge in the case. “We must hold her accountable to stop such an unfortunate case involving a president’s abuse of power from dragging the country into turmoil again.”
Judges sentenced Park to 24 years in jail and fined her US$17 million.
“The main blame ... lies with former president Park herself,” Kim said. “She neglected her constitutional responsibilities and shared her power with a private citizen.”
In February, Choi was sentenced to 20 years in prison and also fined $17 million for her role in the scheme.