South Korean Presidential Blue House | Getty Images
In this handout photo released by the South Korean Presidential Blue House, South Korea’s President Park Geun-Hye attends the emergency cabinet meeting at the presidential office on December 9, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea.
South Korea‘s President Park Geun-hye colluded with her friend Choi Soon-sil to receive bribes from Samsung Group, which was aimed to cement Samsung Chief Jay Y. Lee’s control of the company, a special prosecutor said in a statement on Monday.
In a statement detailing the findings of its investigation, the special prosecutor’s office said the National Pension Service voted in favor of a merger of two Samsung Group affiliates in 2015, despite anticipating a 138.8 billion won ($119.87 million) loss.
The investigation looked into an influence-peddling scandal involving Park, who was impeached by parliament in December after accusations she had colluded with her long-time friend Choi to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back the president’s policy initiatives.
($1 = 1,157.9000 won)
