South Korean President Moon Jae-in has pardoned former President Park Geun-hye, who is currently serving a 20-year prison term for corruption. The Justice Department confirmed the pardon on Friday. At the beginning of this year, the Supreme Court in South Korea ruled that the 69-year-old politician must remain in prison until 2039.
Park, South Korea’s first female president, was impeached in 2017 after mass demonstrations. She was accused of allowing her non-government confidant Choi Soon-sil to exert too much influence. The duo would also have conspired to get money from large companies. That money went to Choi foundations.
After Park’s ouster, he was convicted of corruption and abuse of office. The sentence of the 69-year-old politician was the result of a legal conflict for years.
It is still unclear when Park will be released.
state secrets
Confidential Choi was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her part in the case. Her influence on the then president caused a political scandal in 2016. Choi is said to have interfered in state affairs with Park’s consent, although the woman did not officially hold a position in the government.
In exchange for Park’s political support, electronics giant Samsung is said to have given several foundations, which the president supported, tens of millions. Park also passed on state secrets to a Choi, who then interfered with the appointment of ministers and, through her friendship with Park, plucked almost 60 million euros from companies.
Prosecutors argued that Park deliberately cooperated and turned the presidency into a private, profit-making venture.
Not uncommon
Park, the daughter of a former military dictator, is not the only ex-president embroiled in a corruption case.
Former leader Lee Myung-bak was charged with corruption in 2018, on suspicion of taking bribes and embezzlement during his presidency. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Two other former presidents, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, were convicted of corruption and treason in the 1990s.
Former President Roh Moo-hyun committed suicide in 2009 while under investigation for corruption.
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