A South Korean judge has sentenced ex-president Park Geun-hye to 24 years in prison after being convicted of corruption, BBC News reported. Park, who has refused to attend court since October, wasn’t present on Friday when Chief Judge Kim Se-yun read the verdict on national television.
A South Korean judge has sentenced ex-president Park Geun-hye to 24 years in prison after being convicted of corruption, BBC News reported.
Park, who has refused to attend court since October, wasn’t present on Friday when Chief Judge Kim Se-yun read the verdict on national television.
The Seoul Central District Court found the country’s first female president guilty on 16 of 18 corruption charges.
Park, who maintains that she committed no wrongdoing, was found guilty of conspiring with her friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure 18 of South Korea’s biggest companies, including Samsung, to donate 77.4 billion won (approximately $72 million) to foundations she ran in exchange for favorable government treatment.
She was also found guilty of forcing companies to donate gifts to Choi and her daughter, and leaking confidential information to Choi.
