The woman behind the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye decided to make a surprise appearance at a hearing that she did not have to attend:
Choi Soon-sil (R), the woman at the center of an influence-peddling scandal rocking the country, sits next to her lawyer Lee Kyung-jae during the first preparatory hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Dec. 19, 2016. (pool photo) (Yonhap)
The close friend of President Park Geun-hye who is at the center of an influence-peddling scandal that has led to the president’s impeachment appeared at her first court hearing Monday and denied all charges raised.
Choi Soon-sil attended the first preparatory hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul. It was the first time she has appeared before the public since she was called in by prosecutors in late October.
“When I first came from Germany, I thought I should submit to any punishment,” said Choi, who was indicted last month over a string of corruption allegations involving the president and aides.
“But since I arrived here, I have gone through a lot of interrogations,” she said, without finishing the sentence.
When the presiding Judge Kim Se-yun asked whether she meant she denies all suspicions leveled against her, Choi said “yes.”
Choi returned home on Oct. 30 after nearly two months in Europe, following criticism from the public to answer questions raised against her.
“Eight of the allegations raised by the prosecution are that she colluded with the president,” Choi’s lawyer Lee Kyung-jae said. “As she did not collude with the president, she cannot be found guilty of the charges made.”
It is not mandatory for defendants to attend the preparatory procedures, which are meant for the prosecution and defense to discuss how the upcoming court hearings should proceed.
Lee told reporters in a text message earlier in the day she has “expressed her willingness to sincerely go through with the trial proceedings.” [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but it will be interesting to see if the prosecutors can prove that she bullied conglomerates into giving her non-profits money. For all we know they could have been willingly giving her money because of her influence with President Park, much like corporations giving money to lobbyists in the US.
