Park Geun-hye sentenced to eight more years in jail

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A South Korean court has sentenced ex-president Park Geun-hye to another eight years in prison for illegally taking off-book funds from the state spy agency and interfering in elections during her term in office, Yonhap reported.

The court handed Park six years on spy fund charges, and two further years in jail for interfering in elections during her term in office. The court also ordered her to pay up 3.3 billion won (2.91 million US dollars).

Park was sentenced to 24 years in jail by a court for a series of charges including bribery and abuse of power on April 6, though prosecutors initially requested a 30-year sentence.

Park Geun-hye leaving hospital for treatment in Seoul, South Korea on May 9, 2018. /VCG Photo

Park was accused of colluding with her longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil who has been put into custody, for forcing big conglomerates, including Samsung Group, to donate 77.4 billion won (68.2 million US dollars) to two non-profit foundations controlled by Choi.

She was also charged with taking 43.3 billion won (38.2 million US dollars) in bribes from Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong in exchange for helping Lee inherit the management control from his ailing father, Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

VCG Photo

Park, 66, has denied wrongdoing and was not present in court.

Park has not appeared in court hearings since October last year, calling her trials politically motivated.

Park's incarceration has angered her supporters. Earlier, the South Korean mainstream newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported that over 1,000 die-hard supporters of Park's have petitioned an appeals court to parole or release her.

(With inputs from agencies)