By Kim Bo-eun
Danish authorities said late Wednesday Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter Choi Soon-sil, former President Park Geun-hye’s longtime friend, will be repatriated to Korea. The confirmation of Chung’s extradition comes 144 days after she was arrested in Denmark’s northern city of Aalborg, for staying there illegally.
Chung, 21, had filed an appeal to the high court, after a district court ruled in support of her extradition.
Korea’s justice ministry said Thursday that it was notified by its Danish counterpart that Chung had dropped her appeal.
She is presumed to have dropped the appeal based on the judgment that the high court would be unlikely to overturn the lower court’s ruling.
Korean and Danish authorities are discussing the date of Chung’s extradition. According to Danish law, this should take place within 30 days after the decision is made.
Chung will remain detained until she is returned.
Because there is no direct flight between Denmark and Korea, Chung will have to make a stopover in a third country, from which authorities need approval to make the transfer. She will either be escorted by Danish officials or Korean officials who could be sent there to bring her back.
Chung will be taken to the prosecution for questioning when she enters the country. Prosecutors will likely seek an arrest warrant to detain her, as she needs to undergo extensive questioning. She has not yet been questioned by the authorities as she was abroad when the investigation into the scandal involving her mother took place.
Choi’s lawyers, including Lee Kyung-jae, will represent Chung when she returns.
Chung has been charged with obstruction of work, based on allegations that she received favors in admission and grades at Ewha Womans University. She is also allegedly involved in Samsung’s provision of funds for her training expenses as a dressage competitor. Chung has denied the allegations.
Her alleged accomplices _ her mother Choi and former Ewha President Choi Kyung-hee, as well as professor Kim Kyung-sook _ have been indicted and are on trial.
Earlier, an independent counsel team investigating the presidential scandal involving Choi had requested the extradition of Chung, but she refused and the counsel team extended the expiration date of her arrest warrant to August 2023. Chung cited her refusal was because she would be separated from her 23-month-old son when she arrives in Korea.
On March 17 when the Danish prosecution decided to extradite Chung, she filed a suit with a local court. However, the court supported the extradition, April 19.
Chung had filed an appeal with a higher court and the hearing was set to take place June 8.