ID :
54869
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 23:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/54869
The shortlink copeid
Roh's son to be questioned over weekend in widening corruption probe
SEOUL, April 10 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Friday were expected to summon the only son of former President Roh Moo-hyun over the weekend to question him on whether his relatives took money from a businessman indicted on charges of bribery.
Officials at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office will question Roh Gun-ho over
whether he accompanied Yeon Chul-ho when Yeon received a bribe of US$5 million in
order to determine if the money went into the former president's pocket.
Yeon is a son-in-law of the former president's older brother, Roh Gun-pyeong.
Prosecutors also took Yeon Chul-ho into custody and raided his house in Bundang,
located south of Seoul, after Yeon was found to have received the money from
Park Yeon-cha, chairman of shoemaker Taekwang Industry Co., who has been
indicted on charges of tax evasion and bribery. Yeon admitted to receiving the
money from Park when he visited Park's Vietnamese factory, but said it was a
legitimate investment into his start-up company.
Investigators said they have yet to confirm a newspaper report that Gun-ho is a
key shareholder of Yeon's new company.
An investigation into Park -- who allegedly handed out billions of won to
political heavyweights, including Roh's confidants and former government
officials in exchange for various favors -- shifted toward the Roh family after
the former president confessed on his Web site that his wife, Kwon Yang-sook, had
accepted money from Park to repay a debt.
Roh said in the statement that he found out about the deal between Park and Yeon
after he left office, but did not take any steps to investigate as it took place
after his term ended.
Prosecutors said they have secured Park's testimony claiming he gave $1 million
to Roh through a presidential aide. They believe the money went to the former
president, not his wife.
The former first couple is expected to be summoned as early as next week for
questioning, they said.
Meanwhile, a key member of the main opposition Democratic Party admitted that he
received 50 million won worth of department store gift certificates from Park and
that he was questioned by investigators last week.
"I won't deny it (allegations that he received gift certificates). I testified to
prosecutors in detail and believe that they will judge whether it will be a
problem or not," Ahn Hee-jung, a member of the DP's supreme council, told Yonhap
News Agency in a telephone interview.
Prosecutors found that Ahn received the gift certificates that Park bought at a
department store in Busan in late 2004.
Ahn, a longtime confidant of Roh, was convicted of receiving 6.5 billion won
(US$4.9 million) from businesses ahead of the 2002 presidential election. He was
released from prison in December 2004 after serving one year.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
Officials at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office will question Roh Gun-ho over
whether he accompanied Yeon Chul-ho when Yeon received a bribe of US$5 million in
order to determine if the money went into the former president's pocket.
Yeon is a son-in-law of the former president's older brother, Roh Gun-pyeong.
Prosecutors also took Yeon Chul-ho into custody and raided his house in Bundang,
located south of Seoul, after Yeon was found to have received the money from
Park Yeon-cha, chairman of shoemaker Taekwang Industry Co., who has been
indicted on charges of tax evasion and bribery. Yeon admitted to receiving the
money from Park when he visited Park's Vietnamese factory, but said it was a
legitimate investment into his start-up company.
Investigators said they have yet to confirm a newspaper report that Gun-ho is a
key shareholder of Yeon's new company.
An investigation into Park -- who allegedly handed out billions of won to
political heavyweights, including Roh's confidants and former government
officials in exchange for various favors -- shifted toward the Roh family after
the former president confessed on his Web site that his wife, Kwon Yang-sook, had
accepted money from Park to repay a debt.
Roh said in the statement that he found out about the deal between Park and Yeon
after he left office, but did not take any steps to investigate as it took place
after his term ended.
Prosecutors said they have secured Park's testimony claiming he gave $1 million
to Roh through a presidential aide. They believe the money went to the former
president, not his wife.
The former first couple is expected to be summoned as early as next week for
questioning, they said.
Meanwhile, a key member of the main opposition Democratic Party admitted that he
received 50 million won worth of department store gift certificates from Park and
that he was questioned by investigators last week.
"I won't deny it (allegations that he received gift certificates). I testified to
prosecutors in detail and believe that they will judge whether it will be a
problem or not," Ahn Hee-jung, a member of the DP's supreme council, told Yonhap
News Agency in a telephone interview.
Prosecutors found that Ahn received the gift certificates that Park bought at a
department store in Busan in late 2004.
Ahn, a longtime confidant of Roh, was convicted of receiving 6.5 billion won
(US$4.9 million) from businesses ahead of the 2002 presidential election. He was
released from prison in December 2004 after serving one year.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
