Timeline of South Korea's influence-peddling scandal ahead of Supreme Court ruling

Record ID: 1428772

  • Title: Timeline of South Korea's influence-peddling scandal ahead of Supreme Court ruling
  • Date: 27th August 2019
  • Summary: The Seoul Central District Court arrested Ahn Chong-bum, a former senior advisor to Park, who faces charges of abuse of power and attempted extortion. Prosecutors are looking into allegations that An and Choi forced South Korean conglomerates to donate funds to non-profit foundations. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - NOVEMBER 2, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FORMER SENIOR PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARY FOR POLICY COORDINATION, AHN JONG-BEOM, WALKING TOWARD SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AHN SURROUNDED BY MEDIA AHN SPEAKING Investigators in November raided the offices of Samsung Group, South Korea's largest family-run conglomerate, and Lotte Group as part of a widening probe into the scandal. The businesses are suspected of providing money to two foundations controlled by Choi to win government favours in relation to duty-free licenses, the South's Yonhap News Agency reported. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - NOVEMBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) PARK WALKING TOWARDS PODIUM AND BOWING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) THEN SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT, PARK GEUN-HYE, SAYING: "If needed, I will faithfully cooperate with prosecutors' investigation and I will also accept even an investigation by a special prosecutors' team." Park renewed a tearful apology on Nov. 4 that her "heart was breaking" over the political scandal that had engulfed her administration and said she would cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - NOVEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOT) FLAGS OF SAMSUNG (LEFT AND RIGHT) AND SOUTH KOREAN NATIONAL FLAG (CENTRE) AT SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS BUILDING (NIGHT SHOT) FLAG OF SAMSUNG SOUTH KOREAN PROSECUTION INVESTIGATORS WALKING OUT OF LIFT, CARRYING BLUE BOXES BLUE BOX BEING CARRIED / BOX READING (Korean / English): "PROSECUTION SERVICE" PROSECUTION INVESTIGATORS CARRYING BOXES, LEAVING SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 10th September 2019 08:06
  • Keywords: president impeachment Samsung timeline trial Choi Soon-sil political scandal Park South Korea Jay Y. Lee Park Geun-hye Supreme Court
  • Location: SEOUL, INCHEON, UIWANG, SOUTH KOREA/ AALBORG, DENMARK/ HAGEN, GERMANY
  • City: SEOUL, INCHEON, UIWANG, SOUTH KOREA/ AALBORG, DENMARK/ HAGEN, GERMANY
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA004AU0XZYF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: South Korea's Supreme Court is set to deliver a ruling on the bribery conviction of Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee in a corruption scandal on Thursday (August 29) that led to the ouster of the country's then-president in 2017.
    The ruling will be a test of South Korea's pledge to reform dominant conglomerates criticised for cozy relationship with political leaders, at a time when the Asia's fourth-biggest economy is facing a series of headwinds.
    The 51-year-old Lee was convicted of bribing Choi Soon-sil, a close friend of former President Park Geun-hye.
    Prosecutors have alleged that he paid bribes to help secure control of Samsung Group, South Korea's top conglomerate that owns Samsung Electronics, the world's leading smartphone and chip maker. He denied the charges.
    He received a five-year jail term in 2017, but was released in 2018 after an appeals court reduced his punishment to a suspended prison sentence on charges of bribery, embezzlement and other convictions.
    Both Lee and state prosecutors appealed to the Supreme Court, leaving the top court with the options of either upholding the appeals court's ruling or asking it to reconsider its judgement, legal experts say. Samsung declined to comment.
    The Supreme Court is also set to rule on appeals court decisions in the cases against Park and Choi.
    Park, who was impeached following the scandal, received a jail sentence of 25 years, while Choi was jailed for 20 years. They were both fined of 20 billion won ($16.53 million).
    (Production: Daewoung Kim, Hyunyoung Yi)
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