ID :
55028
Mon, 04/13/2009 - 07:55
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/55028
The shortlink copeid
Ex-president's son summoned over bribery case
SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- State prosecutors called in the only son of former President Roh Moo-hyun Sunday for questioning over a widening bribery scandal involving one of Roh's financial supporters, prosecution officials said.
Roh Geon-ho returned from the United States late Saturday night to face a
prosecution probe over a graft case surrounding Park Yeon-cha, a businessman who
owns a shoe-making company. The junior Roh was staying in the U.S. as an employee
of LG Electronics Inc.
The businessman is accused of transferring US$5 million from his account in Hong
Kong to Yeon Chul-ho, the husband of one of Roh's nieces. Prosecutors suspect the
money was delivered to the ex-president months before his five-year term ended in
February 2008.
Prosecutors said the president's son will undergo questioning over whether he was
involved in the case, but added he faces no criminal charges at the present.
The former president's son will be questioned over whether he used any of $1
million during his stay in the U.S., which Park had confessed to delivering to
the Roh family while the president was still in office, according to prosecutors.
Moon Jae-in, former chief secretary to Roh, said the ex-president and his son
"are not related to" the $5 million Yeon received.
"The money does not belong to former President Roh nor to his son," Moon told
Yonhap News Agency over the phone. "Geon-ho might have met with Park together
with Yeon, but he has nothing to do with the money."
Shortly before summoning the junior Roh, prosecutors released Yeon after two days
of grilling. Yeon admitted to having received the money from Park when he visited
Park's Vietnamese factory, but said it was a legitimate investment in his
start-up company, prosecutors said.
Prosecution investigators summoned Yeon and searched his house south of Seoul on
Friday.
A national lawmaker and two former provincial government officials, all
supporters of the ex-president, have been arrested on charges of receiving large
amounts of cash in illegal funds from the businessman who is behind bars.
With the prosecution delving into the case, the former president admitted last
week that his wife, not he, had received an unspecified amount of money from the
businessman.
Roh and his wife are expected to be summoned by prosecutors as early as this week.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
Roh Geon-ho returned from the United States late Saturday night to face a
prosecution probe over a graft case surrounding Park Yeon-cha, a businessman who
owns a shoe-making company. The junior Roh was staying in the U.S. as an employee
of LG Electronics Inc.
The businessman is accused of transferring US$5 million from his account in Hong
Kong to Yeon Chul-ho, the husband of one of Roh's nieces. Prosecutors suspect the
money was delivered to the ex-president months before his five-year term ended in
February 2008.
Prosecutors said the president's son will undergo questioning over whether he was
involved in the case, but added he faces no criminal charges at the present.
The former president's son will be questioned over whether he used any of $1
million during his stay in the U.S., which Park had confessed to delivering to
the Roh family while the president was still in office, according to prosecutors.
Moon Jae-in, former chief secretary to Roh, said the ex-president and his son
"are not related to" the $5 million Yeon received.
"The money does not belong to former President Roh nor to his son," Moon told
Yonhap News Agency over the phone. "Geon-ho might have met with Park together
with Yeon, but he has nothing to do with the money."
Shortly before summoning the junior Roh, prosecutors released Yeon after two days
of grilling. Yeon admitted to having received the money from Park when he visited
Park's Vietnamese factory, but said it was a legitimate investment in his
start-up company, prosecutors said.
Prosecution investigators summoned Yeon and searched his house south of Seoul on
Friday.
A national lawmaker and two former provincial government officials, all
supporters of the ex-president, have been arrested on charges of receiving large
amounts of cash in illegal funds from the businessman who is behind bars.
With the prosecution delving into the case, the former president admitted last
week that his wife, not he, had received an unspecified amount of money from the
businessman.
Roh and his wife are expected to be summoned by prosecutors as early as this week.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
