Former President Park's prison sentence weighed down

A Seoul court on Friday, July 20, 2018 sentenced former President Park Geun-hye to an additional eight years in prison for corruption and interference in the elections during his term from 2013 to 2018. Having already been Sentenced to 24 years in prison, she will have to serve a total of 32 years behind bars.

Park Geun-hye, 66, was found guilty of illegally collecting a total of 3.3 billion won (the equivalent to 2.6 million euros) diverted from the intelligence services. "The accused received about three billion won over three years from three heads of the National Intelligence Service (NIS). The accused has caused the public treasury considerable losses because of his crime, "said the court. Three former NIS chiefs said they had diverted money from their organization's coffers on Ms. Park's orders, the court said.

The trial was broadcast live on television. The accused boycotted Friday's hearing, accusing the court of settling political accounts.