South Korean prosecutors seek 30-year jail term for ex-President Park

South Korean prosecutors are seeking a 30-year jail term for ex-president Park Geun-hye

Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye has been found guilty of bribery.

Former South Korean president Park Geun-hye has been found guilty of bribery. Source: AP

Prosecutors have sought a 30-year jail term for former South Korean president Park Geun-hye who was ousted amid an influence-peddling scandal that rocked the country's business and political elite.

"We ask the court to hand down 30 years in prison...for the accused, who must take the ultimate responsibility for the scandal as the 18th president of this country," prosecutors said in court.

Park, 66, was dismissed in March last year after being impeached and is standing trial on charges of bribery, abuse of power and coercion.

She denies wrongdoing.

The Seoul Central District Court was expected later on Tuesday to set the date when it will announce the verdict and sentence if Park is convicted.

If the court finds her guilty, Park would be the third South Korean president convicted of crimes. The others were former military generals involved in a 1979 coup and a 1980 civilian massacre.

Park didn't attend the court session on Tuesday.

Park, who was South Korea's first female president, was accused of giving her close friend Choi Soon Sil too much access to the business of government, despite the fact that Choi held no official office.

Earlier this month, Choi was handed a 20-year jail term and ordered to pay an 18 billion won ($A24 million) fine.

Park was among South Korea's most influential conservative politicians and was elected to the National Assembly five times.

She is the daughter of Park Chung Hee, who ruled South Korea with an iron fist in the 1960s and 1970s until his assassination in 1979.


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Published 27 February 2018 7:52pm
Updated 27 February 2018 11:00pm


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