S. Korean prosecutors demand 30-year sentence for Park

World
Europe

Prosecutors in South Korea on Tuesday demanded a 30-year prison sentence for former President Park Geun-hye, who is accused of multiple charges including bribery, abuse of state power and leaking state secrets.

The prosecutors made the recommendation during a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, which will deliver its ruling on April 6.

"We ask the court to hand down 30 years in prison and [a fine of] 118.5 billion won [110 million US dollars] for the accused, who must take the ultimate responsibility for the scandal as the 18th president of this country," prosecutors said in a statement read out in court.

They asserted that Park, in collusion with her secret confidante and long-time friend Choi Soon-sil, took or was promised bribes totaling 59.2 billion won from three South Korean companies, Samsung, Lotte and SK, in return for policy favors.

What Park did wrong

Park, 66, was indicted in April last year on 18 charges for her role in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal that saw her ousted from office. She was dismissed in March 2017 and has now been in custody for almost a year.

South Korea's ousted leader Park Geun-hye arrives at her private house in Seoul, South Korea, March 12, 2017. /VCG Photo

The former president is accused of letting Choi meddle in state affairs, including senor nominations.

From 2013 to 2016, a key aide to Park handed Choi secret documents on upcoming senior nominations, cabinet meetings and overseas state visits and diplomatic meetings under "Park's orders or negligence," according to the court.

Park for years not only concealed the presence of Choi but cracked down on journalists or lawmakers who tried to make public Choi's presence and influence, rendering the system of checks and balances ineffective.

Park has also been charged with coercing 18 large firms to "donate" a total of 77.4 billion won to two dubious foundations controlled by Choi.

This year, South Korean prosecutors added fresh charges, including violating election laws, to the indictment against Park.

What Choi did wrong

Choi was sentenced to 20 years in prison on various charges including corruption earlier this month.

The court said there was sufficient evidence showing Choi used her connections to coerce and receive bribes from major corporations like Samsung. Specifically, money sent to non-profit organizations set up as sports foundations was obligated as opposed to voluntary.

Choi Soon-Sil (2nd L), the jailed confidante of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye, arrives for her first court hearing in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 19, 2016. /Xinhua Photo‍

The fact that Choi was the head representative of these foundations is evidence that she was an accomplice of Park.

Prosecutors said Choi took one billion won from Samsung Group to purchase a champion horse for her 21-year-old daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, and to further her equestrian career. The mother was also accused of obstruction of duty to get her daughter admitted to Ewha Woman's University and receive good grades.

Choi is the daughter of Choi Tae-min, a religious figure who became Park Geun-hye's mentor after Park's mother was killed by an assassin’s bullet intended for her father, the then President Park Chung-hee in 1974.

Who else was influenced?

Powerful business figures were also implicated in the influence-peddling scandal.

Lee Jae-yong, the de facto head of Samsung, was charged with bribing Park and Choi and detained for nearly a year until he was released after winning his appeal on February 5.

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong receives interviews before questioning in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 12, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin, on the other hand, was jailed on February 13 when the court sentenced him to two and a half years in prison for bribery.

How will it influence South Korean politics?

Yang Xiyu, a senior fellow from the China Institute of International Studies, told CGTN that the sentencing of Park will lead to more division in the country's politics.

"This conclusion by the prosecutors will open a new round of fight between the defenders and offenders, simply because former President Park will deny and has denied all the decisions made by the prosecutors. In fact, no matter [the result], she will take the longest term in jail compared with her predecessors," said Yang.

Yang pointed out that beyond the sentence, this case will make every following president more cautious in his or her governance to avoid an ending like Park's.

"Both liberal and conservative parties will try every effort to draw lessons from this case as well as other cases made by other former presidents, so that South Korean politics will be more mature gradually," according to the expert.

952km