South Korean prosecutors have formally charged ousted President Park Geun-hye with bribery over high-profile corruption allegations that could potentially send her to jail for life.
The multiple charges for extortion, bribery, abuse of power and the leak of state secrets, mean that the disgraced president, 65, who was impeached in March, will now face the further public humiliation of a criminal trial.
Ms Park is alleged to have colluded with her shamanistic adviser and close friend Choi Soon-sil to pressure the country's powerful chaebol industrial conglomerates to donate a total of 77.4 billion won (€60 million) to two non-profit foundations, and of soliciting bribes from two of the country's biggest companies, Lotte and SK. The heir to Samsung, Lee Jae-yong, has already been indicted and is awaiting a separate criminal trial over charges that Ms Park was given bribes in exchange for government backing of a 2015 merger.
Park is also charged with taking bribes worth about 29.8 billion won from Samsung scion Lee in exchange for supporting his succession, according to the prosecutors' statement.
Months of political turmoil and intrigue, set into motion when huge crowds began gathering in central Seoul in the fall to demand Park's resignation, were capped by a Constitutional Court ruling in early March that formally removed her from office.
Park, 65-year-old daughter of the late former dictator Park Chung-Hee, spent almost two decades living in Seoul's sprawling presidential palace, before the allegations of corruption engulfed her presidency late last year.
Search for Steve Stephens goes national as officials offer $50000 reward
Calvin Williams said Sunday that he's urging Steve Stephens to turn himself in and not to "do anymore harm to anybody". Officers have searched dozens of places around the city and spoke with the suspect by mobile phone, police said .
The scandal prompted millions of people to take to the street for weeks, calling for the ousting of the president. Among these, bribery charges are very likely to be a major contentious issue during a trial.
Her father is widely revered by aged, conservative South Koreans who benefited from the rapid economic growth under his iron-fisted rule from 1961 to 1979. Park was also indicted Monday.
A number of former presidential aides are on trial for leaking confidential state documents to Choi or helping her handle state affairs allegedly on Park's order.
Park, Choi and Samsung's top executive have all denied any wrongdoing.
South Korea is expected to move to the left when the country elects a new president on May 9.
Comments