South Korea's disgraced former president Park Geun-hye was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Friday, a year after she was driven from office and arrested over a corruption scandal.
The trial which lasted more than 10 months ended with Park being found guilty on multiple criminal charges, including bribery and abuse of power.
"The accused abused the power bestowed by the people -- the true ruler of this country -- to cause chaos in national administration," said Judge Kim Se-yoon.
"Despite all these crimes the accused denied all the charges against her, displayed no remorse and showed an incomprehensible attitude by blaming Choi and other ... officials," he said, referring to Park's secret confidante and long-time friend Choi Soon-sil.
Park, 66, was convicted of receiving or demanding more than $20 million from conglomerates, sharing secret state documents with Choi, ordering officials to stop offering state subsidies to "blacklisted" artists critical of her policies, and firing officials who resisted her abuses of power.
Park maintains she's a victim of "political revenge" and has been refusing to attend court sessions since October. She didn't attend Friday's verdict, citing a sickness that wasn't specified publicly.
A lawyer of the former president has called her sentence very bad" and hinted that she would appeal.
Kang Cheol-gu told reporters after the ruling that he believes the "appeals court and the Supreme Court will make a different judgment."
He said Park's legal team will decided whether to appeal after confirming Park's willingness.
Park's presidential predecessor Lee Myung-bak is currently in custody as prosecutors investigate multiple corruption charges involving him and his relatives.
The presidential Blue House said in a statement after the verdict: "Each person must have different feelings about former President Park Geun-Hye. But a bleak wind blew through the hearts of all of us today.
"It is a heartbreaking event for the nation as well as for the person's life. A history that is not remembered is bound to be repeated. We will not forget today."
