Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye was found guilty of multiple counts of abuse of power and corruption Friday and was sentenced to 24 years in prison, Reuters reported.

“The president abused the power which was given to her by the citizens," the judge said.

Park was found guilty of 16 of the 18 charges against her and also was fined $18 billion Won ($16.9 million), CNN reported. She became the first democratically elected leader ousted from office and then was arrested in March 2017 when the Constitutional Court ruled against her in a scandal that also sent the leaders of two conglomerates to prison, Reuters reported.

Prosecutors sought a 30-year sentence for Park, CNN reported.

Park was South Korea's first female president and the daughter of former dictator Park Chung-hee.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Security wait times at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ranged from seven to 15 minutes around 3 p.m. Sunday, July 6, 2025, as travelers returned from the long Fourth of July weekend. (Gray Mollenkamp/AJC)

Credit: Gray Mollenkamp

Featured

University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue said joining neighboring states to form a new accreditation agency will “keep Georgia’s universities among the best in the nation." (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC