The former 69-year-old head of state, laundered in 2017, was serving a 20-year sentence for corruption and abuse of power, followed by another two years for violation of the electoral law.
Le Monde with AFP
The former president of South Korea, Park Geun-Hye, sentenced to 20 years in prison for a resounding corruption scandal that had precipitated its dismissal in 2017, has been gracious, announced, on Friday, December 24, the Justice Ministry. Park Geun-Hye is on a list of people enjoying a special amnesty and has been pardoned in “a perspective of national unity”, said Minister Park Beom-Kye to journalists.
69 years old, it was serving a 20-year sentence for corruption and abuse of power, followed by two other years for violation of the electoral law.
First woman elected president in South Korea, in 2013, M me park had been convicted in 2018 to have received or requested tens of millions of dollars from South Korean conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, having shared secret documents, having put on a “blacklist” critical artists of his policy, or to have limited leaders who opposed his abuse of power. This scandal had threw a raw light on disorders between these family conglomerates and political power.
It is in the wake of its dismissal that the lawyer of Left Moon Jae-in was brought to power in 2017, surfing the loss of credibility of the Conservatives. The latter will complete his unique mandate in March.
A decision in part motivated by his state of health
According to the Yonhap press agency, the state of health of M me Park, several times this year, partly motivated the decision of grace. When in January, the end of the trial of M me park opened the possibility of asking for grace, Mr. Moon’s services had replied that it was “not appropriate” to discuss amnesty for the moment. Condemning an old president was “a historic lesson”, argued the presidency.
In March, South Korean attorneys had announced the seizure of the former president’s house, who did not pay the fine of 16 million euros for corruption.
South Korea is known for the severity of its justice against the former heads of state. The four former South Korean presidents still alive have all been convicted after the end of their term.