Park Geun-hye trial to continue in her absence: court

The trial of former President Park Geun-hye, who was indicted for a massive influence-peddling and corruption scandal earlier this year, will continue in her absence, the court decided Tuesday as the defendant showed no sign of ending her boycott of the process.

“We have notified the defendant about a trial in absentia, as she continued to reject a subpoena (for court appearance). But Park did not show up today (again),” lead Judge Kim Se-yoon said during Park’s trial hearing in the morning.

According to Korean criminal law, hearings can go on without the presence of a defendant in circumstances whereby he or she has continuously failed to honor the court’s order to present his or herself.

The decision on Park’s trial came after the ex-leader declared a boycott of the trial process. Park's lawyers earlier resigned en masse on Oct. 16 in protest against the court, calling her case a “political vendetta”

Park’s now disbanded seven-member legal team quit in protest against the court‘s decision to approve an extension of Park’s detention to another six months citing her ongoing trial.

Park was assigned five public attorneys by the court, who were present at Tuesday’s hearing. The former president has rejected any meeting with them.

The jailed former president has been standing trial since May over abuse of power, corruption and influence-peddling charges, and allegations that she received bribes from Samsung alongside Choi Soon-sil, her longtime confidante.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)