Disgraced former South Korean President Park Geun-hye has been jailed for a further eight years for corruption, on top of the 24 she is already serving.

A court in Seoul sentenced Park to six years for illegally accepting funds from the country's spy agency, and two years for interfering in elections.

She received her earlier sentence in April for abuse of power and coercion.
Park, the country's first female president, has boycotted court hearings, maintaining her innocence.

She says her trials have been politically motivated and that the judiciary and prosecution are biased against her.

The prosecutions brought to light the longstanding close ties between South Korea's political elite and the chaebols, or family-run conglomerates, which dominate its economy.

Source: BBC Online

BDST: 1339 HRS, JUL 20, 2018
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