'It's all my fault,' confidante says after learning of Park's prison term: sources

SEOUL, April 7 (Yonhap) -- A longtime friend and confidante of former President Park Geun-hye has reproached herself upon hearing news that Park received a heavy prison term over a massive corruption scandal that also involves the friend, sources in the judicial circle said Saturday.

Park was sentenced to 24 years in prison and fined 18 billion won (US$16.8 million) on Friday in a ruling on the scandal that led to her removal from office early last year.

The court ruled Park conspired with Choi Soon-sil to coerce large businesses into providing or promising a total of 23 billion won in bribes. Choi was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a separate trial in February.

The sources said Choi first heard about the news from one of her lawyers when he visited her at the prison where she is serving her term.

She then blamed herself for Park's heavy sentence, saying, "It's all my fault. ... Park received a longer term because I was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment," according to the sources.

"Choi probably is burdened as if the 24 years of imprisonment for the ex-president were added to her own jail term," an aide to Choi said, requesting not to be named. "The weight of 44 years of imprisonment might be the best description for Choi's current state of mind."

sshim@yna.co.kr
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