Here is the latest update on the status of ex-ROK President Park Geun-hye who continues to be jailed despite not being convicted of anything:
Yoo Yeong-ha
Former President Park Geun-hye, currently facing a criminal trial for conspiring with her friend to receive bribes from conglomerates, is extremely regretful that she was fooled by her longtime confidante, Park’s onetime defense lawyer said Wednesday.
Park was indicted in April 2017 for having abused her power to receive bribes from conglomerates by conspiring with her friend, Choi Soon-sil.
The former president is also charged with leaking confidential information to Choi. She has been boycotting the trial since October, describing the accusations as “political retaliation.”
All her lawyers, including a longtime associate, Yoo Yeong-ha, resigned from the case to protest a judge’s decision to extend her detention to April 2018.
In an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, Yoo spoke for the first time about the case and his client. It was Yoo’s first media interview since Park was impeached and ousted from presidency in March of last year. The interview took place on Wednesday, and the JoongAng Ilbo published it in Friday’s edition.
Yoo said Park had not known about Choi’s alleged illicit activities when she was president. “The National Intelligence Service, police and the presidential senior secretary for civil affairs never briefed her about Choi,” Yoo said. “She said it is unfortunate that no one informed her about Choi’s activities.”
Park was indicted in April for alleged crimes committed during her failed presidency. Prosecutors said Park, in collusion with Choi, received massive bribes from conglomerates through two cultural and sports foundations Choi practically controlled. Samsung’s contributions to the foundations and generous sponsorship of equestrian training for Choi’s daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, were described as bribes, and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was also indicted for offering or promising the president a total of 43.3 billion won ($40.7 million).
Yoo said Park is firm on three key issues surrounding her charges. “Park is firm that she never heard from Choi that Samsung Group offered support for Choi’s daughter’s equestrian training,” Yoo said. “Park is also firm that she never asked Samsung Vice Chairman Lee to support Choi and her daughter. She also stands firm that she never ordered An Chong-bum, then senior economic affairs secretary, to create foundations.”
Regarding the newly added charges that Park had misappropriated the funds of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and used the money for private purposes, Yoo said the former leader is also innocent on this count. Earlier this month, the prosecution said Park had used 1.5 billion won of misappropriated NIS funds for private affairs, including beauty treatments.
Yoo had visited Park at the Seoul Detention Center after the new charges were added. Speculation was high that Yoo would be rehired, but Park ultimately did not retain him.
“At the beginning of her term, Park was briefed that the Blue House of the previous administrations had received money from the NIS and used it, and there is no legal problem involving the practice,” Yoo said. “She therefore told her officials to do business as usual. She never received any report about spending the NIS money.”
Yoo added, “It’s also not true that Park used the NIS money for private affairs. A president has their own special-activities account. There’s no reason for her to use the NIS money.”
Yoo also said it is unfair to hold Park accountable for the administration’s creation and operation of a blacklist of liberal artists to oppress them and cut their funding just because she was briefed about a plan.
“She doesn’t seem to recall any specific order,” Yoo said. “If you argue that she made a tacit order for something just because she received a briefing about it, it means that presidents will be linked to all sorts of crimes in the future. No administration will be safe, if you use that logic.” [Joong Ang Ilbo]
You can read more at the link, but on this issue I have yet to see the evidence that Park ever accepted a bribe or knew what Choi was up to. If this all ends up being smoke and mirrors to get her out of office this is going to cause a precedent that whenever the conservatives take power they will legally go after liberal presidents for real or imagined reasons as well.
It looks like the leftists thought Orwell’s 1984 was a blueprint for the future as opposed to an attack on Stalinism. If I was Moon, I’d be embarrassed by the lack of finesse; but I’ve yer to meet a leftist with a sense of shame or a lick of self-awareness.
AureliusNW
6 years ago
The same thing is happening now in the US with the “Russia Collusion” probe. From now on, every new President will be dogged by investigations from the opposing party. I am surprised the Conservative in Korea haven’t starting lobbing charges at Moon about trying to break UN Sanctions on North Korea.
J6Junkie
6 years ago
Their legal system really is a monkey court. Disgraceful to have these show trials and parade public officials on TV in cuffs. Guess they’re preparing for life under Communism.
“The same thing is happening now in the US with the “Russia Collusion” probe.”
One suspects the American Leftists, Globalists, RINOs, and various haters have not thought this through.
Removing Trump gets Pence… which automatically brings way too much Jesus into the situation…
…not the Good Jesus that encourages dignified behavior and correct dealings with others… but the Bad Jesus that hates any type of fun and is looking deep into your personal life to find something which needs controlled.
But that does not matter… as Trump supporters are well armed and won’t take kindly to a coup… especially of the first president in a long time to put America first.
Words like sedition, treason, and anti-American will be the rallying call when liberals and politicians start being put down.
CH is forgetting the Purirans are all Democrats this year. Pence isn’t a fan of so-called “gay marriage” or abortion on demand; but he hasn’t the personality some assign him.
No, the “bad Jesus” types are atheist, Muslims, and others who attack the President’s “morale lapses” but still don’t acknowledge that Trump talks one way and acts another. Meanwhile, the Clintons and the DNC still have Harvey Weinstein’s money.
If you expect pogroms or inquisitions, they’ll come from the left. The GOP doesn’t have the motivation or spinal fortitude to do what even Obama was doing with IRS, FBI, and FISA.
…hardly “judging” Jesus… but certainly making an observation.
Bad Jesus certainly came to town during the Bush years. We could discuss this further if you still disagree after a bit of thought.
Setnaffa,
As usual, you are mostly right… but it is likely that Pence and Bad Jesus will team up to stop the few things the American Left is correct in their thinking…
– gay marriage… is there nothing more important than fretting over what adults do in their bedroom? Fretting over thought crime is a leftist thing.
– War on Pot… it failed. It caused trouble, crime, expense, and ruined lives… let it go.
– abortion restrictions – abortion is a crappy thing… but it culls the herd of future leftists… so there is that.
Ole Tanker
6 years ago
Good Jesus? Bad Jesus? Who owns the copyright? Tm@Jesus.
Pence is not likely to tt at windmills. You’re listening to too many lefty voices.
Abortion is murder and even tbe black on black murders in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago and etc bother some of us.
No one wants the government in anyone’s bedroom. We don’t want them choosing partners nor taking taxpayer money to fund condoms, pills, or abortions for the lazy, careless, or arrogant.
Pot destroyed Humboldt County California. If they made possession of that weed a capital offense, I would cheer.
Having said all that, I don’t expect a political answer. I expect to see America circling the drain. See, I read the end of The Book…
I am “pro-choice”… not because I have any love of murdering babies… but because it is a necessary evil to save society from the “lazy, careless, and arrogant” who would quickly outnumber good people like you…
…and some of them vote.
You are correct… the government has no business in anyone’s bedroom… and really has no business using public funds to finance controversial programs that are easily managed by companies and charities by those who wish them to continue.
Pot… hmmm. I have never smoked it… and I have seen it take the edge of success off of potentially worthwhile people over the years… but it is not the demon of Reefer Madness. The lives/families/finances I have seen ruined by pot have been due to needless life-long legal problems over victimless “crimes” rather than the promotion of laziness and worthlessness… that many people are even without smoking pot.
Bonus: pot smokers shut up and calm down… with most crime due to the artificially high price and unavailabilty caused by prohibition.
I certainly won’t ask you to support abortion and I fully sympathize with your viewpoint. I am simply realistic over idealistic.
I ask that you reconsider the cost/benefit of the War on Pot… as it seems (attempted but failed) prohibition is doing more bad than good… though it does enclurage a bloated and powerful bureaucracy that grows increasingly intrusive and greedy with fewer concerns about civil rights or constitutional protections… so the War on Pot has that going for it if you are a Big Government leftist.
Every abortion stops a beating heart. Typically, the government requires a trial and 20+years in prison with appeals and so on. But, it’s a morality issue. Which humans are allowed to be considered without value? Under Dred Scot, it was Blacks. Under Roe v. Wade, it is the unborn.
I doubt that it can or ever will be made illegal everywhere; but it sure stinks that taxpayer money is used to help those unwilling to use inexpensive birth control like condoms or pills.
Most of my aversion to pot is based on what happened to Humboldt County, California. I watched it devolve. I watched people I knew turn into little more than parasites on society. I watched some of the greatest minds among my friends turn into mush. I watched a once vibrant town turn into something Trump might accurately call a ****hole.
I’m not against people choosing to take drugs; but I am against the government funding their drug habits with welfare, housing allotments, free needles/methadone/etc.
You might say that pot is not a gateway drug; but it is. You might say it’s a victimless crime; but not when the government uses taxpayer money to pay people to smoke pot and not work.
We can argue back and forth about these topics and not convince each other, so we needn’t. We can agree to disagree.
Public funds should not support abortion or a drug habit… or a lot of other things.
If the Religious Right would encourage sensible birth control over crazytalk like abstinence, infanticide would go way, way down. Churches should be handing birth control out to the poor if saving babies is a real goal.
As for drugs and welfare, anybody on public funds is owned by the public. A drug test is correct… as well as a lot of other restrictions.
A bloodless coup.
Everyone sees it, everyone knows it.
What happens when she walks? Will she be able to demand her old job back? Will there be an investigation into who led the coup?
It looks like the leftists thought Orwell’s 1984 was a blueprint for the future as opposed to an attack on Stalinism. If I was Moon, I’d be embarrassed by the lack of finesse; but I’ve yer to meet a leftist with a sense of shame or a lick of self-awareness.
The same thing is happening now in the US with the “Russia Collusion” probe. From now on, every new President will be dogged by investigations from the opposing party. I am surprised the Conservative in Korea haven’t starting lobbing charges at Moon about trying to break UN Sanctions on North Korea.
Their legal system really is a monkey court. Disgraceful to have these show trials and parade public officials on TV in cuffs. Guess they’re preparing for life under Communism.
“The same thing is happening now in the US with the “Russia Collusion” probe.”
One suspects the American Leftists, Globalists, RINOs, and various haters have not thought this through.
Removing Trump gets Pence… which automatically brings way too much Jesus into the situation…
…not the Good Jesus that encourages dignified behavior and correct dealings with others… but the Bad Jesus that hates any type of fun and is looking deep into your personal life to find something which needs controlled.
But that does not matter… as Trump supporters are well armed and won’t take kindly to a coup… especially of the first president in a long time to put America first.
Words like sedition, treason, and anti-American will be the rallying call when liberals and politicians start being put down.
Won’t that be fun!
chickenhead judging Jesus? Now that’s a good one!
CH is forgetting the Purirans are all Democrats this year. Pence isn’t a fan of so-called “gay marriage” or abortion on demand; but he hasn’t the personality some assign him.
No, the “bad Jesus” types are atheist, Muslims, and others who attack the President’s “morale lapses” but still don’t acknowledge that Trump talks one way and acts another. Meanwhile, the Clintons and the DNC still have Harvey Weinstein’s money.
If you expect pogroms or inquisitions, they’ll come from the left. The GOP doesn’t have the motivation or spinal fortitude to do what even Obama was doing with IRS, FBI, and FISA.
*Puritans
Heh, Tanker…
…hardly “judging” Jesus… but certainly making an observation.
Bad Jesus certainly came to town during the Bush years. We could discuss this further if you still disagree after a bit of thought.
Setnaffa,
As usual, you are mostly right… but it is likely that Pence and Bad Jesus will team up to stop the few things the American Left is correct in their thinking…
– gay marriage… is there nothing more important than fretting over what adults do in their bedroom? Fretting over thought crime is a leftist thing.
– War on Pot… it failed. It caused trouble, crime, expense, and ruined lives… let it go.
– abortion restrictions – abortion is a crappy thing… but it culls the herd of future leftists… so there is that.
Good Jesus? Bad Jesus? Who owns the copyright? Tm@Jesus.
Pence is not likely to tt at windmills. You’re listening to too many lefty voices.
Abortion is murder and even tbe black on black murders in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago and etc bother some of us.
No one wants the government in anyone’s bedroom. We don’t want them choosing partners nor taking taxpayer money to fund condoms, pills, or abortions for the lazy, careless, or arrogant.
Pot destroyed Humboldt County California. If they made possession of that weed a capital offense, I would cheer.
Having said all that, I don’t expect a political answer. I expect to see America circling the drain. See, I read the end of The Book…
Insert smile here.
Setnaffa,
I am “pro-choice”… not because I have any love of murdering babies… but because it is a necessary evil to save society from the “lazy, careless, and arrogant” who would quickly outnumber good people like you…
…and some of them vote.
You are correct… the government has no business in anyone’s bedroom… and really has no business using public funds to finance controversial programs that are easily managed by companies and charities by those who wish them to continue.
Pot… hmmm. I have never smoked it… and I have seen it take the edge of success off of potentially worthwhile people over the years… but it is not the demon of Reefer Madness. The lives/families/finances I have seen ruined by pot have been due to needless life-long legal problems over victimless “crimes” rather than the promotion of laziness and worthlessness… that many people are even without smoking pot.
Bonus: pot smokers shut up and calm down… with most crime due to the artificially high price and unavailabilty caused by prohibition.
I certainly won’t ask you to support abortion and I fully sympathize with your viewpoint. I am simply realistic over idealistic.
I ask that you reconsider the cost/benefit of the War on Pot… as it seems (attempted but failed) prohibition is doing more bad than good… though it does enclurage a bloated and powerful bureaucracy that grows increasingly intrusive and greedy with fewer concerns about civil rights or constitutional protections… so the War on Pot has that going for it if you are a Big Government leftist.
Every abortion stops a beating heart. Typically, the government requires a trial and 20+years in prison with appeals and so on. But, it’s a morality issue. Which humans are allowed to be considered without value? Under Dred Scot, it was Blacks. Under Roe v. Wade, it is the unborn.
I doubt that it can or ever will be made illegal everywhere; but it sure stinks that taxpayer money is used to help those unwilling to use inexpensive birth control like condoms or pills.
Most of my aversion to pot is based on what happened to Humboldt County, California. I watched it devolve. I watched people I knew turn into little more than parasites on society. I watched some of the greatest minds among my friends turn into mush. I watched a once vibrant town turn into something Trump might accurately call a ****hole.
I’m not against people choosing to take drugs; but I am against the government funding their drug habits with welfare, housing allotments, free needles/methadone/etc.
You might say that pot is not a gateway drug; but it is. You might say it’s a victimless crime; but not when the government uses taxpayer money to pay people to smoke pot and not work.
We can argue back and forth about these topics and not convince each other, so we needn’t. We can agree to disagree.
Setnaffa, I think we don’t disagree!
Public funds should not support abortion or a drug habit… or a lot of other things.
If the Religious Right would encourage sensible birth control over crazytalk like abstinence, infanticide would go way, way down. Churches should be handing birth control out to the poor if saving babies is a real goal.
As for drugs and welfare, anybody on public funds is owned by the public. A drug test is correct… as well as a lot of other restrictions.