Park Geun-hye

Park Geun-hye, President of South Korea from 2013 to 2017, was removed from office on 10 March 2017 following a unanimous Constitutional Court ruling upholding her impeachment. The impeachment stemmed from a massive corruption scandal involving her confidante, Choi Soon-sil, who exerted influence over state affairs despite holding no official position. Park faced multiple criminal trials resulting in the following: Bribery and Abuse of Power: Park was convicted of colluding with Choi to extort 77.4 billion won from major conglomerates like Samsung and Lotte for two foundations controlled by Choi. She was also found guilty of leaking confidential government documents to Choi and blacklisting artists critical of her administration. National Intelligence Service (NIS) Funds: Park was convicted of embezzlement and causing losses to state funds for illegally receiving 3.5 billion won from the NIS between 2013 and 2016, which she used for personal expenses and aide bonuses. While prosecutors sought bribery convictions for these transfers, the court acquitted her of bribery, ruling the payments were not made in exchange for specific favors. Election Interference: She was convicted of violating election law for illegally meddling in the 2016 Saenuri Party candidate nominations. Sentencing and Pardon: After a series of trials and appeals, her total prison sentence was finalized at 20 years, plus a fine of 18 billion won. In December 2021, President Moon Jae-in granted Park a special pardon on compassionate grounds, citing her deteriorating health and the need for national unity. She was released from prison on 31 December 2021.