Shin Dong-bin, the head of South Korea's retail powerhouse Lotte, was charged with bribery on Monday after he allegedly offered 7 billion won (5.79 million euros, $6.15 million) to a sports foundation linked to a close aide of former President Park Geun-hye.
Sixty-two-year-old Shin was indicted in Seoul without being detained by prosecutors.
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South Korea's unending political crisis
Extortion and manipulation
On Monday, a Danish court extended the detention of Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the centre of a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of Park Geun-hye, South Korea's president. Choi is accused of influencing government policy and getting rich through extortion and manipulation.
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South Korea's unending political crisis
South Korea's 'Rasputin'
Choi is in custody on charges of meddling in state affairs without holding a government position and using her connections with the president to extort vast sums of money from many of South Korea's best-known companies. Beyond the legal charges, she is being blamed for both effectively bringing down the government of President Park and leaving her reputation and political legacy in tatters.
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South Korea's unending political crisis
Defiance
Last month, Park did not turn up to testify in a court case which will decide her future. The president was impeached over a multifaceted corruption scandal in December.
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South Korea's unending political crisis
Fall from grace
After her impeachment, Park Geun-hye is regarded both as a perpetrator and a victim. Her future is uncertain as the country struggles to recover from a political scandal.
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South Korea's unending political crisis
Calls for early elections
Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets since the start of the corruption scandal, calling on President Park to step down. South Korea's Constitutional Court is deciding whether to formally unseat Park or restore her power. If she is forced out, a new election would be held within two months to choose her successor.
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South Korea's unending political crisis
Scandal reaches top of the 'chaebols'
South Korea's corruption scandal has spilled over into the highest levels of business. The vice-chairman of Samsung, Lee Jae-yong, was questioned last month by investigators who are seeking evidence that he paid bribes to Choi Soon-sil. Given the economic and political importance of Samsung in South Korea, if Lee is indicted, it could be on the same level of President Park's impeachment.
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South Korea's unending political crisis
The split
In December, a group of lawmakers from South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party abandoned Park to form a new party, tentatively named the New Conservative Party for Reform (NCPR). The party infighting is another blow to Park.
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South Korea's unending political crisis
Ban drops out of presidential race
Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has declared that he won't run for South Korea's presidency. He had been expected to seek the position after a corruption scandal saw President Park impeached. The newly-formed NCPR was hoping that Ban would join their ranks.
Author: Shamil Shams
Scandal widens
The retail giant denied allegations that it made improper deals with Park, or those linked to her, for favors.
Lotte, which owns hotels, stores and food products, becomes the second conglomerate mired in the political scandal after Jay Y. Lee, the chief of Samsung Group, was arrested in February.
Former President Park was also charged on Monday with taking bribes worth about 29.8 billion won from Samsung in exchange for supporting Lee's succession, according to a statement from prosecutors.
"We have formally charged Park ... with multiple offences including abuse of power, coercion, bribery and leaking state secrets." they said.
Ex-President Park Geun-hye is in a detention center and has now been formally charged with corruption
Park still in jail
Park has been behind bars at a detention center in the outskirts of Seoul since her arrest last month. She was impeached by parliament in December after months of public protests. The decision was upheld by the country's Supreme Court last month.
The sixty-five-year-old has been accused of colluding with her confidante Choi Soon-sil to receive bribes from Lotte and Samsung.
Choi, who is currently on trial over the scandal, now faces an additional charge of bribery involving Shin.
She allegedly used her links to the president to force local firms to "donate" nearly 66 million euros to organizations, and allegedly used the cash for personal gain.
mm/jm (AFP, AP, Reuters)
