S. Korean Court Rejects Request To Increase Ex-President Park's Jail Term By Year -Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2018) An appeals court in Seoul has declined the prosecution's request to increase the jail term of ousted former President Park Geun-hye by one year, local media reported on Wednesday.

In April 2017, Park was sentenced to 24 years in jail after she was found guilty in separate charges including power abuse, bribery and leaking government secrets. In July, Park received another eight years in prison for interfering in the candidate nomination process in 2016 parliamentary elections and causing loss of government funds.

The prosecution appealed the ruling, seeking to increase the prison term for Park for election meddling but the appeals court rejected the request, the Yonhap news agency reported.

A large-scale political scandal broke out in October 2016 when Park was accused of having allowed her longtime friend and close associate Choi Soon-sil to get involved in state affairs. The scandal led to Park's impeachment in December 2016.