Impeached South Korean President Park Guen-hye made her first appearance in court Tuesday. She faced charges that include “bribery, abusing state power and leaking state secrets,” according to BBC.
Park was removed from office March 10 and had been in a solitary cell in jail since her arrest on March 31.
Park and her friend Choi Soon-il were accused accepting $52 million in bribes from Samsung and other big businesses such as Lotte in return for political favors. They were also accused of pressuring large companies to donate huge sums of money to Choi’s foundations. “I have been close to former President Park for 40 years, and I am a sinner for causing her to appear in court,” said Choi.
Park was also accused of giving Choi access to her work including allowing her to edit speeches and “running a blacklist of media figures who were to be barred from receiving state support because they had been critical of her government,” BBC reports.
Park faces a total of 18 charges — all of which she denied in court. If she is found guilty, Park could be sentenced 10 years to life in prison, according to the New York Times.
Guen-hye Park is the third South Korean leader to be tried for corruption. In 1996, military dictators Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo appeared in court for “bribery, mutiny and sedition charges.” All three leaders appeared in the same court room.
“It is an unfortunate scene in our history for a former president to be arrested and stand trial, but we should establish the rule of law by punishing her illegal activities,” .
Park’s trial will continue with her appearance in court on Thursday.