North Korea Calls Park ‘Traitor’
North Korea cannot contain its reaction on the recent ordeal of Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye by calling the ex-leader “traitor” and responsible for “extra-large hideous corruption.”
The insult was carried by North’s official Korean Central News Agency a day after the former leader was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Friday, on corruption and bribery charges.
Relations between North Korea and South Korea were worse while the conservative Park was in office for her strict policy after the North accelerated its nuclear proliferation and and missile tests in 2016.
The Harsh Sentence
Former leader South Korean President Park Geun-hye was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Friday for wide array of charges that included bribery, extortion, abuse of power and other charges.
The conviction was nationally televised. The Seoul Central District Court convicted Park of colluding with longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil to pressure 18 business groups to donate a total of 77.4 billion won ($72.3 million) for the launch of two foundations controlled by Choi.
However Park has denied all allegations and did not attend Friday’s verdict, citing she was sick.
The Impeachment
The South Korean Constitutional Court impeached Park Geun-hye over her role in a corruption scandal on March 2017.
The court ruling entails Ms Park leaving the office which is her official residence. Along with this ruling, Ms Park lost her presidential immunity and faced charges over allegations she colluded with Ms Choi.
The ousting made history as Park Geun-hye was the country’s first democratically elected leader to be forced from office.
The court ruling, which ruled that Ms. Park had “betrayed the trust of the people,” ended months of political unrest that tormented the country after an explosive corruption scandal involving Ms Park and her close friend, Choi Soon-sil.
The Corruption Scandal
The corruption scandal made headlines around the world when Ms Park was involved in a controversial friendship with Ms Choi.
Ms Park allegedly allowed Choi to have unacceptable access to official documents and meddle in state affairs.
The close friendship was allegedly abused by Ms Choi, using her presidential connections to bribe companies to give millions of dollars in donations to non-profit foundations she controlled.
In addition, Ms Park was accused of soliciting bribes from the head of the Samsung Group, the country’s largest conglomerate, for government favors.
Ms Park and Ms Choi denied all accusations.
Park Geun-hye, was the nation’s first female president and the daughter of the Cold War military dictator Park Chung-hee who seized power in 1961. The former general was prominent for his fight against North Korea’s nuclear provocations. He was assassinated, as was her mother.
