- Title: Timeline charts key events in South Korea's influence-peddling scandal
- Date: 22nd June 2017
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF HYUNDAI AND KIA MOTORS LOGO OF HYUNDAI MOTOR ON TOP OF BUILDING As the scandal unfolded, prosecutors questioned the de facto head of Samsung Group, Jay Y. Lee, and the chairmen of Hyundai Motor Group and Hanjin Group. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - NOVEMBER 12, 2016) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS GATHERED FOR RALLY PROTESTERS HOLDING CANDLES AND WAVING FLAGS THE BLUE HOUSE, SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE PROTESTERS MAKING MEXICAN WAVE WITH CANDLES Park faced mounting pressure to step down as hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Seoul every Saturday to demand her resignation, the biggest public demonstrations in South Korea since the 1980s. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - DECEMBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) SOUTH KOREAN CHAIRMAN OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY'S SPECIAL COMMITTEE, KIM SUNG-TAE (FAR LEFT), HITTING GAVEL CHAIRMAN OF CJ GROUP, SOHN KYUNG-SHIK (FAR LEFT), CHAIRMAN OF LG GROUP, KOO BON-MOO (SECOND FROM LEFT), CHAIRMAN OF HANHWA, KIM SEUNG-YEON (THIRD FROM LEFT), CHAIRMAN OF SK GROUP, CHEY TAE-WON (FOURTH FROM LEFT), SAMSUNG GROUP HEIR APPARENT AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS, JAY Y. LEE (THIRD FROM RIGHT), CHAIRMAN AND SECOND SON OF LOTTE GROUP, SHIN DONG-BIN (SECOND FROM RIGHT), CHAIRMAN OF HANJIN GROUP, CHO YANG-HO (FAR RIGHT), SITTING LEE SITTING CHEY (LEFT), LEE (CENTRE), AND SHIN (RIGHT), SITTING Heads of South Korea's top conglomerates including Samsung's Lee and the Chairman of Hyundai Motor, Chung Mong-koo, testified at parliament hearing on Dec. 6 on whether Park and her friend Choi pressured them to give money to non-profit foundations for preferential treatment. Lee said Samsung Group did not give financial support to foundations in order to get something in return. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - DECEMBER 9, 2016) (REUTERS) SOUTH KOREAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, CHUNG SYE-KYUN (CENTRE), PARLIAMENT OFFICIALS, AND LAWMAKERS SITTING VARIOUS OF LAWMAKERS PUTTING BALLOT PAPER INTO BALLOT BOX SOUTH KOREAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, CHUNG SYE-KYUN, SAYING (Korean): "I announce that the impeachment bill of President Park Geun-hye has passed." PROTESTERS CHEERING AS IMPEACHMENT VOTE RESULT IS ANNOUNCED PROTESTER CHANTING PROTESTERS CHEERING WHILE WATCHING SCREEN SHOWING IMPEACHMENT VOTE RESULT On December 9, lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to impeach embattled Park over the scandal, setting the stage for her to become the country's first elected leader to be pushed from office in disgrace. Members of parliament voted by secret ballot with 234 in favour and 56 opposed, meaning dozens of members of Park's own conservative Saenuri Party backed the motion to remove her. At least 200 members of the 300-seat chamber was needed to vote for the motion for it to pass. Outside parliament, a large crowd of demonstrators who had gathered to await the outcome, cheered at the news the motion had passed. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - DECEMBER 9, 2016) (REUTERS) SOUTH KOREAN PRIME MINISTER AND ACTING PRESIDENT, HWANG KYO-AHN, AND OFFICIALS AT MEETING HWANG SPEAKING AS SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS SEATED SOUTH KOREAN MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS LISTENING A few hours after the impeachment vote, South Korean Prime Minister and acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, took over as acting president. Park met her ministers and asked them to work with the prime minister to avoid any vacuum in national security matters and the economy. Park added she would prepare for a court review of the impeachment motion. Hwang held an emergency cabinet meeting and said he would do his best to ensure a stable government continued to function.
- Embargoed: 6th July 2017 12:48
- Keywords: president timeline Choi Soon-sil Park impeachment political scandal Park Geun-hye trial South Korea Samsung Jay Y. Lee
- 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: LVA0076ME3WAT
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Choi Soon-sil, a long-time confidante of South Korea's ousted former President, is due to face her first sentencing on Friday (June 23) in relation to charges that she abused her power for her daughter.
The sentencing is the latest development in a corruption scandal that took the country by storm last October. Choi is accused of colluding with ex-president Park Geun-hye to collect bribes from the country's top businesses, and faces a number of other charges which she has yet to be sentenced for. Prosecutors have demanded a seven-year jail term for this single case.
Her daughter, 20-year-old Chung Yoo-ra, fled to Europe last year to avoid being prosecuted by South Korean authorities for her links to her mother's alleged crimes. She also faces charges including criminal interference related to her academic record and acceptance into a South Korean university with questionable qualifications.
This video timeline charts the events of the corruption scandal since October, when a South Korean television network reported that drafts of Park's speeches had been found in a computer used by Choi. The drafts were received hours and days before the remarks were publicly delivered.
South Korean prosecutors on April 17 accused Park of colluding with Choi to receive 7 billion won ($6.16 million) from Lotte for favours. Park was also charged with abuse of power and coercion by pressuring big businesses to contribute funds to non-profit foundations, prosecutors said. Both Park and Choi have denied wrongdoing.
The pair appeared in court, reuniting for the first time since October, on May 23 for Park's first trial hearing. Park's verdict is due in October. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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