South korean president park geun hye

South Korea's disgraced former president Park Geun-hye was jailed for 24 years Friday for corruption, closing out a dramatic fall from grace for the country's first woman leader who became a figure of public fury and ridicule. A trial which lasted more than 10 months ended with Park being found guilty on multiple criminal charges, including bribery and abuse of power. Park's successor described the sentencing as a "heartbreaking event" for both the nation and the ex-leader herself. "The accused abused the power bestowed by the people - the true ruler of this country - to cause chaos in national administration," said Judge Kim Se-yoon. "Despite all these crimes the accused denied all the charges against her, displayed no remorse and showed an incomprehensible attitude by blaming Choi and other ... officials," he said, referring to Park's secret confidante and long-time friend Choi Soon-sil. Park, 66, was convicted of receiving or demanding more than $20 million from conglomerates, … [Read more...] about South Korea’s Park jailed for 24 years for corruption

The secret confidante of ousted South Korean president Park Geun-hye was convicted Tuesday and jailed for 20 years for her key role in the scandal that brought down the head of state. Choi Soon-sil -- who became close to Park through her father, a shadowy religious figure -- was vilified during the massive nationwide protests that rocked Asia's fourth-largest economy and culminated in Park's impeachment last year. The Seoul Central District Court found Choi guilty of abuse of power, bribery and interfering in government business. The verdict is a potential pointer to the decision in Park's separate trial, since 15 of the 18 charges Choi faced mirror counts on the ex-president's own indictment. Judge Kim Se-yoon told a packed courtroom that Choi took advantage of "long private ties" with Park to force companies to donate funds to foundations she controlled and used for personal gain. She accepted more than 14 billion won ($13 million) from telecommunications giant Samsung and … [Read more...] about Secret confidante of S. Korea’s Park jailed for 20 years over scandal

North Korea's ceremonial head of state will visit the South this week and attend the Winter Olympics opening ceremony as the divided peninsula witnesses a rare thaw after a year of high tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear programme. Kim Yong-Nam will technically be the most senior official from the North ever to travel to the other side of the Demilitarized Zone that has for decades divided the two Koreas. His trip will be the diplomatic high point of the rapprochement between the two Koreas triggered by the Pyeongchang Olympics in the South, which have their opening ceremony on Friday - although analysts warn that their newly warmed relations may not last long beyond the Games. Tensions spiralled last year as the North carried out multiple weapons tests, including intercontinental ballistic missiles it says are capable of reaching the mainland United States, and its most powerful nuclear blast to date. For months Pyongyang ignored Seoul's entreaties to take part in a "peace … [Read more...] about Top North Korean official to visit South for Winter Olympics

Japan's foreign minister met China's top leadership on Sunday for rare diplomatic talks that ended with mutual vows to improve their chilly ties but little in the way of concrete proposals. The world's second and third largest economies have a fraught relationship, held back by longstanding disputes over maritime claims and Japan's wartime legacy. Taro Kono's visit to China was the first by a Japanese foreign minister in nearly two years and comes as Tokyo pushes for a visit from Chinese president Xi Jinping. Japan's top envoy met with his counterpart Wang Yi, top diplomat Yang Jiechi and Premier Li Keqiang. But on a range of issues - from developing a military hotline to easing tensions around disputed islands in the East China Sea and to a state visit - Kono came away with little more than vague promises. In statements and remarks after the talks both Japan and China said they would move towards setting up a military hotline to avoid clashes in the East China Sea and would aim … [Read more...] about Japan, China talks end with friendship vows but no breakthrough