Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye was indicted by prosecutors Monday on multiple corruption charges, while Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin was prosecuted for bribery charge. Park was also charged with abuse of power and coercion by pressuring big businesses to contribute funds to non-profit foundations, the prosecutors said.
2012: Park becomes the country's first female president in a landslide victory over liberal opponent Moon Jae-jin.
Park is accused of colluding with her friend Choi Soon-sil in coercing large conglomerates into donating to nonprofit foundations controlled by Choi and receiving tens of billions of won in bribes from Samsung. Park will remain in a Seoul detention facility until her trial.
She allegedly used her links to the president to force local firms to "donate" almost 66 million euros to organizations, and allegedly used the cash for personal gain.
Her indictment comes as the country kicks off official campaigning for May 9 presidential elections to choose her successor.
The prosecution, which also brought in SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won for questioning, did not file charges against him.
Park, 65-year-old daughter of the late former dictator Park Chung-Hee, spent almost two decades living in Seoul's sprawling presidential palace, before the allegations of corruption engulfed her presidency late last year.
Park has denied any legal wrongdoing. Park was removed from office on March 10th and later arrested by South Korean authorities on March 30th.
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The 31-year-old continued: "In my life I think, oh look at these handsome , wonderful things I have, I should be so happy".
Prosecutors arrested Park on bribery and a dozen other criminal charges in March.
She will have to face judges in prison garb and bound with rope, and the bribery charge could mean life imprisonment.
Local news outlets said the maintenance work was requested by Ms Park herself, after she refused to step inside a cell because it looked "unclean" and demanded that "new wallpaper" be put it up.
Park's scandal triggered huge political turmoil in South Korea, with millions taking to the streets to call for her to go for months before her supporters launched their own protests.
Park is the daughter of the former military dictator Park Chung-hee, who seized power in a coup in 1961 and ruled South Korea with martial law until his assassination in 1979.
Park has denied the allegations against her during five interrogation sessions.
South Korea's ousted President Park Geun-hye has been formally indicted on corruption charges.
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