Ousted South Korean leader Park Geun-hye was behind bars in the Seoul Detention Centre on Friday after her arrest, on charges including bribery, in a corruption scandal that has brought low some of the country's business and political elite.
In a dramatic fall from power, Park, 65, became South Korea's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office. She is accused of colluding with a friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure big businesses to contribute funds to foundations that backed her policy initiatives.
She and Choi, who is already in custody and on trial, deny any wrongdoing.
In the early hours of Friday, the Seoul Central District Court approved prosecutors' request for an arrest warrant for Park after she gave about eight hours of testimony.
Park and her lawyers had argued that she should not be arrested because she did not pose a flight risk and would not try to tamper with evidence. But the court disagreed, and said she might try to manipulate evidence.
Also at Straits Times, Korea Herald, and the Washington Post. Korea Times editorial.
Previously: South Korean President Park Geun-hye Impeached
President Park Geun-hye's Impeachment Upheld as South Korea's "Trial of the Century" Begins
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South Korean President Park Geun-hye has been impeached:
South Korea's Parliament voted on Friday to impeach President Park Geun-hye, an aloof conservative who took a hard line against North Korea and rose to power with strong support from those who revered her father, the military dictator Park Chung-hee. The vote against Ms. Park, the nation's first female leader, followed weeks of damaging disclosures in a corruption scandal that has all but paralyzed the government and produced the largest street protests in the nation's history. Her powers will now be suspended as the Constitutional Court considers whether to remove her from office.
Ms. Park has been accused of allowing a shadowy confidante, the daughter of a religious sect leader, to exercise remarkable influence on matters ranging from choosing top government officials to her wardrobe, and of helping her extort tens of millions of dollars from South Korean companies. The scandal, which gained national attention less than two months ago, has cast a harsh light on collusion between the presidency and big business in one of Asia's most dynamic economies.
Parliament's motion for impeachment, accusing Ms. Park of "extensive and serious violations of the Constitution and the law," will now be taken up by the Constitutional Court, which has six months to decide whether the charges are true and merit her ouster.
The impeachment bill passed 234-56.
Also at BBC, DW, and the Washington Post.
Update: BBC and Reuters report that South Korean President Park Geun-hye has been removed from office. The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment in an 8-0 decision.
Samsung Group's vice chairman and "de facto leader" Jay Y. Lee and four other executives have denied the charges against them in what is being called South Korea's "trial of the century":
Five executives at Samsung, including the conglomerate's de facto leader, Lee Jae-yong, formally denied bribery charges against them on Thursday, in a preliminary hearing for a trial with the potential to shake South Korea.
Mr. Lee, who also goes by the name Jay Y. Lee, and the other executives face charges that strike at the heart of the deep ties between the South Korean government and powerful family-controlled businesses, a source of growing public resentment. Parliament voted in December to impeach President Park Geun-hye over accusations of corruption and other abuses of power, and she could be formally removed from office soon.
But the related arrest of Mr. Lee, scion of the country's biggest and most profitable conglomerate, or chaebol, is a momentous turn in itself. Chaebol bosses, including Mr. Lee's father, have been convicted in previous corruption cases, but punishments have usually been light or commuted. Many see Mr. Lee's trial as a test of whether South Korea can change by abandoning longstanding deference to the business clans that have dominated the country's glittering economic rise. The chief prosecutor has said it could be the "trial of the century."
Previously: Samsung Vice Chairman a Suspect in South Korean Presidential Bribery Probe
Warrant Sought for the Arrest of Samsung's Vice Chairman
South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye has been imprisoned for 24 years for her role in a corruption scandal:
Park became South Korea's first democratically elected leader to be forced from office last year when the Constitutional Court ordered her out over a scandal that landed the heads of two conglomerates in jail. The court also fined Park, the daughter of a former military dictator, 18 billion won ($16.9 million) after finding her guilty of charges including bribery, abuse of power and coercion.
"The defendant abused her presidential power entrusted by the people, and as a result, brought massive chaos to the order of state affairs and led to the impeachment of the president, which was unprecedented," judge Kim Se-yoon said as he handed down the sentence.
Up to 1,000 Park supporters gathered outside the court, holding national flags and signs calling for an end to "political revenge" against her.
The court found Park guilty of colluding with her old friend, Choi Soon-sil, to receive about 7 billion won ($6.56 million) each from Lotte Group, a retail giant, and Samsung, the world's biggest maker of smartphones and semiconductors, while demanding 8.9 billion won from SK, an energy conglomerate. Most of the money was intended to bankroll non-profit foundations run by Choi's family and confidants, and to fund the education of Choi's horse-riding daughter, the court said.
Previously: South Korean President Park Geun-hye Impeached
President Park Geun-hye's Impeachment Upheld as South Korea's "Trial of the Century" Begins
Ousted South Korean Leader Behind Bars After Arrest on Bribery Charges
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Sentenced to Five Years in Corruption Scandal Ruling
(Score: 2) by sjames on Tuesday April 04 2017, @06:50PM (18 children)
This is what actual rule of law looks like. We don't see a lot of that in the U.S.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by ikanreed on Tuesday April 04 2017, @06:56PM (3 children)
Sure you do. All you gotta do is have no money and/or be black then you get all the rule of law you could ask for. And then some.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday April 04 2017, @07:11PM (1 child)
It's because black and poor people don't have money to enter into fair contracts, and therefore are subjected to a violently imposed...
DANG! I thought I could, but I can't! How does he do it?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @07:51PM
drink more draino?
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday April 05 2017, @12:10AM
In other words, regardless of group category. Given a big enough stick you can speak softly and "ask" the government for a "fair" treatment. (or else!)
(Score: 4, Insightful) by DECbot on Tuesday April 04 2017, @07:04PM
What are you talking about? All of the wealthy in the US are perfectly law abiding citizens. Of course they follow the rule of law, just who do you think
paid for all those laws?made you pay for all those laws?Reminds me of the following quote from fortune:
[P]olitics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.
cats~$ sudo chown -R us /home/base
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @07:06PM (9 children)
Oh we might... Trump's position is looking a bit tenuous these days. If he's guilty he'd BETTER go down, otherwise this country is 100% done. We've had too many scandals, too much fascist shit thrown at us for many decades now, and I think Obama and Trump are the final fascist leaders to really destroy this country.
Unless we get real prosecution and a following election that restores the people's faith. Repealing corporate lobbying, getting rid of gerrymandering, etc. etc. etc.
(Score: 2) by NewNic on Tuesday April 04 2017, @07:14PM (2 children)
Trump is protected.
Do you really want Pence as President?
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @08:08PM (1 child)
No, he seems to think Hillary was scandal free and would remain so. The clintons are nothing but one continuous scandal. Her scandals are long and deep going all the way back to when she worked on the nixon case. She is a multi millionaire. How did she get that money? It sure was not building product or doing things. It was speeches and sketchy political favors. We can sit here and pretend it was otherwise. But that is just as dishonest. She has done things that most people would be in federal prison for many years. She is not because she is connected and has money and knows where the bodies are buried.
Much of the BS that is being bandied about about Trump is just more of the same shit, different actors. Much of it coming from the DNC apparatus trying to make a tempest out of teapot. *nothing* will happen because at this point all I have seen is innuendo and rumors. The dude we have now seems to be made of Teflon. NOTHING sticks. Much of it has been fabricated lies and exaggerated BS. Same BS that was happening under Obama except from 'the republicans'.
Everything is just whatever and nothing of real substance will happen. People think the president is in control. He is not. He is just a visitor. The real people in charge are the lifetime bureaucrats.
We basically had a choice between corrupt zombie or old used car salesman. People decided they liked the used car salesman better. Which says more about our state of politics in this country than anything.
Pence would be just as boxed in. The DNC would make sure of it they are actually *very* good at their flavor of propaganda and virtue baiting. We no longer send people to Washington to help us. We send them to fight against our perceived enemy. The 'enemy' that our friends and family and TV have told us are our enemy.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Tuesday April 04 2017, @08:57PM
A short history of HRC: http://harpers.org/archive/2014/10/stop-hillary-2/?single=1 [harpers.org]
As to the topic at hand, suffice it to say, if Korea's Park Geun-hye was a Clinton in the US, no amount contributions to CGI or the Clinton Foundation would be found to be inappropriate, let alone illegal.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @08:06PM (4 children)
Do you think Trump really is guilty of something? Or are you just following the hyperbole of the losing party with their own ethically questionable candidate?
Trump may have had distasteful dealings, and hold some political positions I may disagree with, but I can't see him as a political outsider put himself at risk of criminal prosecution.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @08:37PM (1 child)
Do you think Trump really is guilty of something?
Yes.
Or are you just following the hyperbole of the losing party with their own ethically questionable candidate?
No.
Any other questions, oh querulous AC?
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday April 04 2017, @09:46PM
Says the querulous AC.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @09:24PM
I would give him the benefit of doubt he stops throwing up smokescreen after smokescreen. The guy is a glorified used car salesman (my apologies to used car salesmen) occupying the White House. Shit will hit the fan.
And no, I don't like Hillary, but that's irrelevant - she is not the president.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @10:16PM
I will also respond to this question.
Yes I think Trump is really guilty of something.
No I'm not following any hyperbole, originally I didn't care if Clinton or Trump won. My opinion is formed around the various facts, and they all point towards major collusion with Russia and the evidence of collusion is now so broad it is unimaginable that Trump is not involved.
I can't see him as a political outsider put himself at risk of criminal prosecution.
What does being a political outsider have to do with it? Why would anyone put themselves at risk of criminal prosecution? Oh right, money and power. If you go the outlandish route, Trump could be a masterful plant to either destroy the US or act as a lightning rod for the leftovers of the Civil War, or he could be part of a long term Russian plan. We've heard enough tales of Russian spies being sent to the US at a relatively young age for the long con.
Regardless of your preferred flavor of crazy it is clear Trump is an incompetent sociopath leading the Federal Gov on a massive campaign to damage the US and line the pockets of some rich people. At least a few good thing should happen, TPP getting the axe was my favorite so far!
(Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday April 04 2017, @11:57PM
Oh we might... Trump's position is looking a bit tenuous these days. If he's guilty
Guilty of what? I see in this thread that someone is claiming he's guilty of collusion with Russia. Well, you need evidence for that, not vague feelings ("the evidence of collusion is now so broad it is unimaginable that Trump is not involved").
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @08:30PM (2 children)
I know, I would love for Obama to go to prison for his illegal spying on political opponents. But I guess I'll settle for him hiding out in place with no extradition treaty with the US until such time as we send in a SEAL team to bring him to justice.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @10:06PM
I would love for Obama, Trump, and Bush to go to prison for conducting unconstitutional mass surveillance on the populace, along with all their buddies who aid this practice.
Politicians don't get privacy if we don't.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @10:20PM
for his illegal spying on political opponents
Source? It had better be something better than Twitter...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 04 2017, @07:02PM (1 child)
The acting president is the prime minister, Park's crony and suspected accomplice, who has refused the extension request from the special prosecutor and repeatedly denied access to the presidential compound ("Blue (Tile) House") for evidence gathering. Park's other cronies are entrenched widely throughout the upper echelon of the government, hence the concern for evidence tempering.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday April 05 2017, @12:42AM
Seems South Koreans have some "swamp draining" todo.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 05 2017, @12:20AM
Obama seems to been into this area of expertise too by pressuring corporations to donate to organizations:
Barack Obama’s Department of Justice funneled billions of dollars to leftist organizations [americaswatchtower.com]
Guess how demonstrations "against" Trump is payed for? :P