- Title: South Korea’s ousted leader Park Geun-hye’s corruption trial begins
- Date: 23rd May 2017
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (MAY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SEOUL CENTRAL DISTRICT COURT SIGN ON BUILDING READING (Korean): "COURT"
- Embargoed: 6th June 2017 03:26
- Keywords: Choi Soon-sil corruption trial Park Geun-hye former President South Korea
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Reuters ID: LVA0026I266H1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The first trial of South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal that brought down her presidency, began on Tuesday (May 23) at Seoul Central District Court.
Park faces more than 10 years in jail if found guilty of taking bribes from business leaders including head of the Samsung conglomerates, Jay Y. Lee, one of the key accusations that led to her impeachment, making her the country's first democratically elected leader to be removed from office.
At the hearing, Park and Choi Soon-sil, the friend she is accused of colluding with to solicit money, was reunited for the first time since the scandal erupted in public in late October. Park and Choi, both have rejected the bribery charges.
The first day of arguments came two weeks after the election of President Moon Jae-in, who has promised to get tough on chaebol bosses who commit crimes, and has named a respected investigator to head the office prosecuting the former leader. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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