Choi Soon-sil's daughter appeals custody decision after Denmark arrest

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The daughter of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye's longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil has appealed a Danish district court's decision to remand her in custody, a prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

Chung Yoo-ra, 20, has appealed to Denmark's Western High Court against the decision made by the Court of Aalborg on Monday to remand her in custody for four weeks, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said in a statement.

Chung was arrested by North Jutland Police on Sunday after a tip-off from a South Korean journalist, who said that the woman wanted by South Korean police for economic crimes was illegally staying at a certain address in Aalborg, Denmark.

The photo shows Chung Yoo-ra’s residence in Aalborg, Denmark where she was arrested on January 1, 2016. /Xinhua Photo

After a hearing on Monday, the case has since been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the authority in Denmark that deals with extradition requests from other countries.

Chung Yoo-ra gets out of a car after a hearing on January 2, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

The office said that it is still awaiting a formal extradition request from South Korean authorities.

When the office receives this request, the extradition case proceedings can begin, according to the statement.

"How long it takes us to reach a decision in the extradition case is partly dependent on when we receive the necessary documents from South Korea," said Mohammad Ahsan, deputy director from the Office, noting that a decision will be made within a few weeks after receiving all required documents.

"The case is being treated with the same respect for Danish law as in any other extradition case. There are procedures that we must follow, but of course we are processing the case as efficiently as possible," Ahsan added.

The photo shows the prison in Aalborg, Denmark where Chung Yoo-ra has been taken into custody. /Xinhua Photo

Chung's mother Choi has been charged with using her friendship with President Park to extort funds from large businesses and meddling in state affairs though she has no government position and security clearance. Chung is alleged to have received illegal favors when entering a prestigious university.

(With input from Xinhua)