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South Korea begins trial of confidante of disgraced president
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Choi Soon-sil, the jailed confidante of disgraced South Korean President Park Geun-hye (center) appears for the first day of her trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Dec. 19, 2016. (Korea Pool Photo via AP/-)
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n the first day of her trial, the jailed confidante of disgraced South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Monday denied using her presidential ties to extort money from powerful companies. It was the first public appearance in weeks for the woman at the heart of a scandal that led to Park's impeachment.
Choi Soon-sil, Park's friend of 40 years, wore black glasses and bowed deeply to the three judges before her lawyer, Lee Kyoung-jae, denied that Choi conspired with an ex-presidential adviser to pressure companies to donate money to foundations controlled by Choi.
The hearing at the Seoul Central District Court will review the charges against Choi, who prosecutors say manipulated state affairs and extorted businesses. It will also set the trial schedule. Ten others swept up in the scandal also face trial.
(Read also: S. Korea begins trial of disgraced president's confidante)
Choi is also known as Choi Seo-won, which is how she was referred to in court.
It is South Korea's biggest trial since the 2014 court appearance of the crew of a ferry that sank and killed more than 300 people, mostly teenagers.
Choi last appeared in public on Oct. 31, when, after losing a Prada shoe in a crush of media and protesters, she told reporters at the Seoul prosecutors' office that she had "committed a sin that deserves death."
It's not clear how long the trial will last. Courts normally issue a verdict within six months of an indictment, so she'll likely get a verdict by May if prosecutors don't bring new charges.
Choi is charged with abuse of power, extortion and attempted fraud. If convicted on all charges, she could receive up to 15 years in prison, according to court spokesman Shin Jae-hwan.
Before her arrest, Choi said she that received some of Park's speeches in advance but that she didn't know if they included confidential information. She denied the other allegations.
Prosecutors allege that Choi helped pressure 16 companies to donate a total of 77.4 billion won (US$65.6 million) to create two nonprofit foundations, Mir and K-Sports.
According to the prosecution, Park first brought up the idea of launching the foundations and ordered her senior secretary for policy coordination at the time, Ahn Jong-beom, to ask companies to finance their establishment while letting Choi handle the appointment of foundation officials.
Park's representatives have questioned the legality of her impeachment by the country's parliament and said no serious crime was committed. The Constitutional Court is reviewing Park's impeachment. If it rules against her, she'll be formally unseated and must undergo a direct investigation.
Choi, 60, is a daughter of the late Choi Tae-min, a purported cult leader who served as Park's mentor. Park, 64, is the daughter of Park Chung-hee, a dictator who ruled South Korea for 18 years until his 1979 assassination.
The two women became friends in the 1970s, around the time when Park Geun-hye began serving as first lady after her mother was killed during a failed 1974 assassination attempt on Park Chung-hee. Park Geun-hye once headed a patriotic group set up by the elder Choi, while Choi Soon-sil served as head of its college unit.
Park has immunity from prosecution for most crimes while in office. She has acknowledged that she got help from Choi for editing speeches and unspecified "public relations" issues, but has denied any other legal wrongdoing.
