By You Soo-sun
Former President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil sat side by side at Seoul Central District Court, Tuesday, for their first trial hearing involving 18 charges. The two, who have been friends for 40 years, stared straight ahead without exchanging looks with each other.
Park emerged from a bus handcuffed, wearing a navy jacket ― attached to her chest was a badge indicating her inmate number, 503. Her hair was up in her signature style, using a hairpin she reportedly bought from the detention center where she is imprisoned.
As she left the bus, cameras flashed as reporters took photos of Park for the first time in 53 days after she was jailed on March 31.
Inside courtroom 417, where the hearing was held, Park’s handcuffs were removed. She was then escorted to her seat to face a panel of three judges. Throughout the trial she was surrounded by a throng of journalists taking photos and citizens who had won a draw to be admitted to the courtroom.
Choi had on ivory-colored attire and glasses, as well as a facemask, which she took off inside the courtroom. She momentarily glanced at Park while she was escorted to her seat in the same aisle Park was seated. With only her attorney Lee Kyung-jae separating her from Park, she looked straight ahead or downwards throughout the hearing.
Park denied all 18 charges, including engaging in bribery and passing on confidential government information, which may see her sentenced to life in prison if convicted. She has denied any wrongdoing since she was impeached by lawmakers in December, which the Constitutional Court later upheld.
Choi remained loyal to her friend and sobbed as she said she was “a sinner” for bringing Park to the courtroom. She also said she hopes the trial would free Park.
The hearing, which began at 10:00 a.m., lasted for three hours. Park left the court at 1:50 p.m., about five hours after she walked in, and was handcuffed before she was returned to the bus that would take her back to the detention center. She remained silent while walking and kept a fast pace until boarding the bus. She will appear for her second hearing early next week.
The trial is likely to take several months, as hearings will be held two to three times a week. Prosecutors had requested hearings be held on a daily basis, but Park’s lawyer refused, requesting they be held three times a week.
Both sides refused to have citizens on the jury, but some citizens who applied to witness the hearing were admitted inside the courtroom.
The first hearing drew massive media attention, with local television stations replaying footage of Park and Choi in court. While most approve of the trial, around 150 people with national flags and placards gathered near the court demanding Park’s immediate release.