[Log] Park Geun-hye, From the Political Scandal to Pardon

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former President Park Geun-hye, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the state corruption scandal, has been granted a sudden pardon.

On the 24th, the government announced that ahead of the 2022 New Year, a special pardon would be granted on the 31st to 3,094 people, including former presidents.

Among them was former President Park. The government explained, "To overcome the unfortunate history of the past, to achieve great national unity through dialogue among all citizens, to overcome the nationwide crisis caused by the spread of COVID-19 with unified strength, and to create an opportunity to take a new step toward the future, former President Park has been specially pardoned and reinstated."

As a result, former President Park will be released after 4 years and 9 months since her arrest on March 31, 2017, for the state corruption scandal. She is scheduled to complete 1,736 days of imprisonment on the 30th and be released at midnight on the 31st.

Below is a timeline of major events from the public report of Choi Seo-won's (65, formerly Choi Soon-sil) tablet PC, which triggered the state corruption allegations, to the pardon of former President Park.

◇ 2016

October 24 = JTBC reports 'Suspicion of Choi Soon-sil's involvement in state affairs.' Tablet PC presumed to be used by Choi revealed

October 30 = Choi returns from Germany

November 3 = Prosecutors arrest Choi

November 8 = Prosecutors conduct a search of Samsung Electronics headquarters

November 13 = Prosecutors summon Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong as a witness

November 20 = Prosecutors indict Choi Soon-sil, Ahn Jong-beom, and Jung Ho-sung

November 30 = President Park appoints Special Prosecutor Park Young-soo

December 9 = National Assembly passes impeachment motion against President Park. Impeachment resolution submitted to the Constitutional Court

December 21 = Special Prosecutor Park Young-soo officially begins investigation

◇ 2017

February 17 = Arrest warrant issued for Vice Chairman Lee

February 28 = Special Prosecutor indicts 17 people including Vice Chairman Lee... Announces President Park as a suspect on bribery charges

March 10 = Constitutional Court decides to dismiss President Park

March 21 = Former President Park appears at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office as a suspect for questioning

March 31 = Prosecutors arrest former President Park

April 17 = Prosecutors indict former President Park for state corruption

May 23 = Formal trial begins for former President Park's state corruption case

May 31 = Choi Soon-sil's daughter Jung Yoo-ra forcibly repatriated from Denmark to Korea

August 25 = Seoul Central District Court sentences Vice Chairman Lee to 5 years in prison

November 28 = Court decides to proceed with former President Park's trial in absentia

◇ 2018

January 4 = Prosecutors add charges against former President Park for bribery involving National Intelligence Service special activity funds

February 1 = Prosecutors add charges against former President Park for interference in Saenuri Party nominations

February 5 = Seoul High Court sentences Vice Chairman Lee to 2 years and 6 months in prison with 4 years probation. Vice Chairman Lee released

February 13 = Seoul Central District Court sentences Choi Soon-sil to 20 years in prison, 18 billion KRW fine, and 7.29 billion KRW confiscation; Ahn Jong-beom to 6 years in prison, 100 million KRW fine, and 42.9 million KRW confiscation; Shin Dong-bin to 2 years and 6 months in prison and 7 billion KRW confiscation

February 27 = Closing arguments in former President Park's state corruption trial. Prosecutors demand 30 years imprisonment and 118.5 billion KRW fine

April 6 = Seoul Central District Court sentences former President Park to 24 years in prison and 18 billion KRW fine for state corruption charges

July 20 = Seoul Central District Court sentences former President Park to 6 years in prison and 3.3 billion KRW confiscation for National Intelligence Service special activity funds bribery

August 24 = Seoul Central District Court sentences former President Park to 25 years in prison and 20 billion KRW fine on appeal for state corruption; Choi Soon-sil sentenced to 20 years in prison, 20 billion KRW fine, and 7.05 billion KRW confiscation; Ahn Jong-beom sentenced to 5 years in prison, 60 million KRW fine, and 19.9 million KRW confiscation

November 21 = Seoul High Court sentences former President Park to 2 years in prison for interference in Saenuri Party nominations

◇ 2019

February 11 = Supreme Court refers state corruption case appeal to the full bench

July 25 = Seoul High Court sentences former President Park to 5 years in prison and 2.7 billion KRW confiscation for National Intelligence Service special activity funds bribery

August 29 = Supreme Court full bench overturns and remands the second trial verdicts for Park Geun-hye, Lee Jae-yong, and Choi Soon-sil

September 17 = Former President Park hospitalized at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital for shoulder surgery (78 days)

November 28 = Supreme Court 2nd Division overturns and remands verdict on bribery charges related to National Intelligence Service special activity funds against former President Park

◇ 2020

July 10 = Seoul High Court remand trial sentences former President Park to 20 years in prison and 18 billion KRW fine for state corruption and National Intelligence Service special activity funds bribery

◇ 2021

January 14 = Supreme Court 3rd Division dismisses prosecutor's appeal. Former President Park's 20 years imprisonment and 18 billion KRW fine confirmed

January 20 = Former President Park hospitalized at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital due to close contact with COVID-19 patient (20 days)

July 20 = Former President Park hospitalized at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital for treatment (31 days)

November 22 = Former President Park hospitalized at Samsung Seoul Hospital

December 24 = Government announces special pardon and reinstatement of former President Park

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