Friend of ex-S. Korean president, Lotte chairman get prison
SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — A confidante accused of collaborating with South Korea’s former president for personal gain was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison for bribery and other crimes in a political scandal that triggered the country’s first presidential impeachment and the conviction of an heir to the Samsung empire.
The Seoul Central District Court also sentenced the chairman of the Lotte Group, South Korea’s fifth-largest conglomerate, to 2 1/2 years in prison for bribery in the same case.
Former President Park Geun-hye was impeached last March and removed from office in disgrace. She is standing trial on more than a dozen criminal charges, and the case against her close friend could hint at the penalty Park could face if convicted.
The court convicted Choi Soon-sil of abuse of power, bribery and other crimes and fined her 18 billion won ($17 million). Choi left the courtroom quietly after the sentencing without showing any emotion.