Appeal court extends sentence of former South Korea president Park Geun-hye to 25 years
The Seoul High Court finds that Park colluded with a friend, Choi Soon-sil, to receive tens of billions of won from major conglomerates to help Choi’s family and fund non-profit foundations owned by her
A South Korean appeal court sentenced former president Park Geun-hye to 25 years in jail on Friday, in a case arising from a far-reaching corruption scandal that toppled her from power in 2017.
Park became South Korea’s first democratically elected leader to be forced from office when the Constitutional Court removed her over a scandal that landed the heads of two conglomerates in jail.
The Seoul High Court found that Park colluded with her friend, Choi Soon-sil, to receive tens of billions of won from major conglomerates to help Choi’s family and fund non-profit foundations owned by her, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the court.
The court also fined Park, the daughter of a former military dictator, 20 billion won (US$17.86 million) after finding her guilty of charges including bribery and coercion.
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A lower court had jailed Park for 24 years in April. Prosecutors appealed against that decision, seeking a tougher sentence.
