The independent counsel that investigated the scandal surrounding former President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday requested her as a witness in the trial of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong.
The Counsel’s investigation team, which indicted Lee and 29 others in connection with the scandal, said Park should take the stand in order to shed light on links between the two.
This file photo shows former President Park Geun-hye entering the Seoul Central District Court on March 30, 2017, to attend a hearing on her arrest warrant. (pool photo) (Yonhap)
Allegations that bribes were involved in Park and Lee’s interactions, among other claims of wrongdoing, led to the early election of a new South Korean president last week.
“We had few opportunities to carry out face-to-face questioning of Park (over the scandal),” said the investigation team at the court, referring to Park’s earlier rejection in February for questioning in person.
The court justices said they would consider the request and when to summon her.
If summoned, Park would have to testify at Lee’s hearing for his charges, which include having bribed Choi Soon-sil to the tune of 7.8 billion won ($6.6 million) to fund her daughter’s equestrian training in Germany in return for favors from Park.
Lee’s Samsung Group is also the biggest contributor to two foundations allegedly operated by Park and Choi -- the Mir and K-Sports foundations -- giving 20.4 billion won in return for the government‘s alleged backing of a merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015.
Park herself is under detention and undergoing her own trial after state prosecutors indicted her last month over bribery, extortion, abuse of power and other high-profile corruption charges in collusion with Choi. The charges, if confirmed, could potentially send her to jail for life.
By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)