Former South Korean President appears in court today

On May 23, ousted former President Park Geun Hye and her close friend Choi Soon Sil, suspected of complicity in a corruption scandal, will appear in court.

This trial will be the first time Park Geun Hye has appeared in public since being taken to prison in March 2017.

Park Geun Hye was accused of receiving or demanding 59.2 billion won (US$52.7 million) in bribes from major South Korean conglomerates, including Samsung. She was removed from office on March 10.

Ms. Park Geun-hye. Photo: Yonhap

Park Geun Hye faces 18 charges including corruption, coercion and abuse of power for giving preferential treatment to tycoons who bribed her close friend Choi Soon Sil - the center of the scandal.

Meanwhile, Ms. Choi Soon Sil is accused of taking advantage of her relationship with Ms. Park Geun Hye to force leading Korean companies, including Samsung, to "donate" nearly 70 million dollars to her fund./.

According to VOV