Trial opens against President Park Geun-hye

MEPs: "She severely and profoundly violated the constitution". Her lawyer: "unjustly condemned, like Jesus or Socrates"

Seoul (AsiaNews) - Government MPs have accused the president Park Geun-hye of violating the constitution "severely and profoundly ".  The Constitutional Court has begun to hear arguments concerning the allegations of extortion and abetting.

Lee Jeong-hwan, the president’s lawyer, said that the allegations "lack of evidence and have no legal effect" because based on assertions, media information and not criminal facts.

Seok Seo-gu, another of Park’s lawyers, said that the investigations against his client came after protests influenced and promoted by groups sympathetic to North Korea. Seo also accused of organizations that wrote about the scandal of demagoguery and he compared the injustice of the charges against Park to those leveled against Jesus Christ and Socrates.

After the National Assembly on December 9 last voted for the impeachment of Park, the Constitutional Court will now have to decide within six months whether to remove her permanently or reinstate her. If the Park is formally removed from office, elections will be held within 60 days. However the president has denied all the charges against her, saying that she complied faithfully with her presidential mandate and that she received only one simple advice from Choi.  

Yesterday, Choi Soon-sil appeared before the Court of the Central District of the capital to defend herself against accusations of abuse of power and attempted fraud.

Even former assistants of the President, An Chong-bum and Jeong Ho-seong took part in the hearing, accused of collaboration with Choi. It was her first public appearance since she was arrested last year. 

• SouthKorea
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• park
• geun-hye
• impeachment
• choi
• soon-sil
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