This time, it’s final. The Supreme Court of South Korea confirmed Thursday, January 14, the sentence of former President Park Geun-hye to 20 years in prison. The first woman elected president of South Korea, Park Geun-hye was sentenced in 2018 to thirty years in prison for corruption and abuse of power. A series of appeals and new trials subsequently reduced his sentence to twenty years in prison. On Thursday, the case returned for the second time to the Supreme Court, which upheld the twenty-year sentence.
The high court also approved the fines and compensation that the former president must waive, and which total 21.5 billion won (16 million euros). The former head of state, who has long boycotted the hearings by denouncing biased justice, was absent Thursday. She was also sentenced to two years in prison for violations of electoral laws. These sentences have not been confused, the former leader will be over 80 years old if she serves the entire twenty-two years in prison to which she was sentenced.
Severe justice
Park Geun-hye was convicted of receiving or asking for tens of millions of dollars from South Korean conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, of sharing classified documents, of putting on a “blacklist” artists critical of his policy or for having dismissed officials who opposed his abuse of power. The drawer scandal had cast a harsh light on the murky connections between these family conglomerates and political power, through Park Geun-hye and his shadow confidante Choi Soon-sil, who had accepted bribes. wine in exchange for political favors. It was in the wake of his impeachment that the center-left lawyer Moon Jae-in was brought to power in 2017, surfing on the loss of credibility of the conservatives.
South Korea is known for the harshness of its justice against former heads of state. So much so that the four former South Korean presidents still alive were all sentenced after the end of their mandate. Former head of state Roh Moo-hyun committed suicide in 2009 after being questioned on suspicion of corruption involving his family. The end of the legal process means that Park Geun-hye can now claim a pardon.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
