The End of 'The Time of Judiciary' for Park Geun-hye, Is the 'Time of Politics' Coming Now?

Final Supreme Court Verdict Tomorrow Morning
20-Year Prison Sentence Confirmed if Original Judgment Upheld
Possibility of Pardon Discussions Heating Up
Moon's Pardon Restriction Pledge During Presidential Election

Former President Park Geun-hye [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The Supreme Court's second ruling on former President Park Geun-hye, who was indicted in the state affairs manipulation scandal, will be announced on the 14th. The Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice No Tae-ak) plans to hold a sentencing hearing that morning to deliver a conclusion on this case. With this, former President Park, a key figure in the ‘Choi Soon-sil state affairs manipulation’ scandal, will bring an end to the legal battle nearly 3 years and 9 months after being brought to trial in April 2017.

This case was received by the Supreme Court last July following the prosecution's appeal against the retrial. In September of the same year, the case was assigned to a panel, and legal review of the grounds for appeal began. The panel started discussions on the key issues last month and scheduled the sentencing hearing about a month later. In this retrial, the panel will make a final judgment on bribery and abuse of power charges related to Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), as well as bribery charges involving the National Intelligence Service chief’s special activity funds.

The core charges in this case are abuse of power and coercion. Previously, the retrial panel acquitted former President Park of abuse of power and coercion charges related to Hyundai Motor Company, POSCO, KT, etc., in line with the Supreme Court’s full bench ruling. Some abuse of power charges related to the cultural blacklist were also partially acquitted. The prosecution appealed this acquittal, arguing that there was a legal error in the interpretation. The panel will examine whether the retrial panel’s judgment violated the law. If there is no problem with the legal interpretation, the retrial’s sentence will be confirmed as is. Legal circles view the possibility of a different conclusion as low since the key issues have already been judged once.

Earlier, former President Park was sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined 20 billion won for the state affairs manipulation case, and 5 years in prison with a confiscation of 2.7 billion won for the special activity funds case in the appellate retrial. At that time, the court strongly criticized Park’s attitude, stating, "The defendant showed no remorse and failed to appear in court without justifiable reasons, betraying the last hope of the people who wished for the truth of the state affairs manipulation to be revealed."

Subsequently, the case was referred to the full bench. The full bench overturned the ruling, stating that bribery crimes committed by a president during their term must be sentenced separately according to the Public Official Election Act. The retrial panel, in line with the full bench’s intent, sentenced 15 years in prison and a 18 billion won fine for bribery and abuse of power charges, and 5 years in prison with a confiscation of 3.5 billion won for other charges such as loss of state funds.

Former President Park was also indicted for interference in the 2016 general election and was sentenced to 2 years in prison in November 2018, a sentence already served due to long-term detention. ‘Shadow power’ Choi, who led the state affairs manipulation scandal, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison and fined 20 billion won. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, indicted on bribery charges with former President Park, is scheduled for a retrial sentencing on the 18th.

If the sentence is confirmed with this retrial ruling, discussions on a special pardon for former President Park are expected to reignite. Earlier, Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon mentioned the possibility of a pardon for former presidents, but the discussion was effectively halted due to backlash inside and outside the party. Cheong Wa Dae Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Choi Jae-sung also said in a radio interview on the same day, "I think it should be done from the perspective of the people and at the people’s level."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.