Prosecution Requests Increased Prison Time For Former President Park Geun Hye

Prosecution requested former South Korean president Park Geun Hye receive 12 years in prison for misappropriation of government funds.

On June 20, the Seoul High Court held the appeals trial regarding former president Park Geun Hye’s illegal appropriation of funds. The prosecution asked for a prison sentence of 12 years with a fine of 8 billion won (approximately $6.8 million) and an additional penalty of 3.5 billion won (approximately $3 million).

Former president Park Geun Hye was previously sentenced to six years in prison with a fine of 3.3 billion won (approximately $2.8 million) regarding these charges. Last year, she was indicted for receiving 3.5 billion won (approximately $3 million) in special funds from government officials during the period between 2013 and 2016.

During the first trial, former president Park Geun Hye was found not guilty of receiving bribes but was found guilty of a loss of 3.3 billion won (approximately $2.8 million) from state coffers. However, in the appeals trial, the prosecution argued that former president Park Geun Hye should also be found guilty of receiving bribes.

The prosecution stated, “If the transfer of money and goods is tied to job positions and compensation, then bribery has taken place.”

Currently, former president Park Geun Hye is serving her prison term in the Seoul Detention Center. She was previously sentenced to 25 years in prison with a 20 billion won fine (approximately $17.2 million) for the corruption scandal involving her confidant Choi Soon Sil, as well as two years in prison for illegal intervention in the Saenuri party nominations. Together with the six years she was sentenced to in her first trial for illegal appropriation of funds, former president Park Geun Hye’s current sentence adds up to 33 years. Depending on the ruling of this case, this punishment stands to increase.

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