Court orders to freeze assets of Park Geun-hye

By Kim Se-jeong

A Seoul court on Friday accepted prosecutors’ request to freeze assets owned by ousted President Park Geun-hye who is on trial for corruption.

The Seoul Central District Court issued its ruling on her assets worth at least 5.8 billion won ― her Seoul home worth 2.8 billion won, 3 billion won cash held by her lawyer Yoo Young-ha and an unknown amount in her savings account ― until her final verdict.

The prosecution made the request for fear of her assets being sold off or transferred.

Park faces 20 corruption charges, two of which involve allegations she received bribes from the National Intelligence Service between May 2013 and July 2016. According to the prosecution, she received at least 3.65 billion won ($3.43 million).

She used that money to cover her medical expenses and buy personal mobile phones. She also gave part of that money as cash gifts to her close aides in Cheong Wa Dae. The prosecution continues to investigate whether her confidante Choi Soon-sil received any part of that money.