South Korea prosecutors to question ousted president in corruption scandal News
South Korea prosecutors to question ousted president in corruption scandal

[JURIST] The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office of the Republic of Korea [official website] on Tuesday announced plans to question ousted president Park Geun-hye about her involvement in the corruption scandal that led to her removal as the nation’s leader. While Park maintains her innocence, the prosecutors’ office has indicated [Al Jazeera report] that they will make a final decision on whether they would question her on Wednesday. If a questioning is to take place, it is also unclear whether it will be televised or private.

Just four days ago South Korea’s Constitutional Court upheld parliament’s decision to impeach [JURIST report] Park over a scandal related to government bribes paid by Samsung. In February Samsung’s head Lee Jae-yong was arrested [JURIST report] on charges of bribery and undue influence in connection with the scandal. Fve Samsung executives denied charges [JURIST report] of bribery, embezzlement and corruption that were leveled against them in connection with Park. Now that Park will not have political immunity it leaves her open to being joined in a number of lawsuits that have been leveled in connection to the scandal, which may include the indictment [JURIST report] of former culture minister Cho Yoon-sun and former presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon over the coercion, abuse of power and perjury due to suppression of artists involved with the impeachment process.

THIS DAY @ LAW

First impeachment trial began in US Senate

On December 17, 1798, the US Senate began its first impeachment trial. Senator William Blount of Tennessee, a land speculator, was accused of plotting with England to wrest control of Florida from Spain. The Senate ultimately dismissed the charges for lack of jurisdiction—and, perhaps incidentally, lack of Blount, who had gone to Tennessee and had refused to return to the Senate for trial. Read more on the trial of William Blount.

Simon Bolivar dies

On December 17, 1830, South American revolutionary Simon Bolivar died in Colombia. During his lifetime, Bolivar led successful revolutions against Spanish colonial rule throughout South America. His efforts led to the independence of the modern-day nations of Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador and Bolivia, a nation named in his honor.