Former South Korean President Park’s Legal Saga Ends as Court Upholds Jail Term

SEOUL—South Korea’s Supreme Court docket upheld a two-10 years jail term for previous President Park Geun-hye, in a ruling that provides an stop to her yearslong authorized saga.

Ms. Park, 68, was also fined 18 billion Korean won, or $16.four million, for her role in a corruption scandal that ensnared some of the country’s prime politicians and small business leaders.

Ms. Park to start with arrived underneath scrutiny in 2016 following prosecutors alleged she experienced shared confidential files with her longtime confidante and colluded with her to extort tens of tens of millions of bucks from small business teams like Samsung and Hyundai. The allegations prompted monthslong protests in which tens of millions of South Koreans took to the streets demanding Ms. Park’s resignation. Ms. Park was impeached in late 2016 and eliminated from business office the pursuing year.

The corruption scandal involving Ms. Park place a spotlight on the typically shut ties amongst the government and relatives-run businesses, recognised as chaebols, that dominate the economic system. The investigation shook the country’s political and small business establishments, top to general public hearings and the jailing of prominent figures like Samsung’s de facto chief, Lee Jae-yong.

Mr. Lee, the grandson of Samsung’s founder, was convicted on expenses which include bribery and embezzlement in 2017. He was launched from jail the pursuing year on a suspended sentence and is anticipating a retrial ruling on his circumstance subsequent week.