The Seoul Central District Court announced on Tuesday that the next preliminary hearing for the country’s former president Park Geun-hye was set to be held on May 16, and the formal court trial will be held on May 23.
A preliminary hearing to review the charges brought against Park and determine future proceedings was held at 10 a.m. local time on Tuesday. Park was absent as her attendance is not mandatory.
Park, who has been jailed since March 31, is accused of 18 criminal counts including bribery, abuse of power, coercion and leak of government secrets
Although Park denies all charges, she has become the country's third former president to stand trial over corruption allegations, after Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo.
Meanwhile on Tuesday morning, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Lee Jae-yong also attended court, after being accused of paying 43 billion won (38 million US dollars) to two non-profit foundations involving Park and her confidante Choi Soon-sil, in exchange for political support.
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