Roh's aide arrested on charges of embezzlement, bribe-taking

SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution arrested on Tuesday Jung Sang-moon,
an aide for former President Roh Moo-hyun, on charges of embezzling government
funds and taking bribes from a local businessman.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office believes Jung received 300 million won
(US$222,981) from Park Yeon-cha, head of a local shoemaking company, in August
2006 and embezzled 1.25 billion won from funds set aside for the presidential
office. Jung deposited the money in several bank accounts of third persons.
Park, known as a financial supporter of Roh, has allegedly admitted to giving
illicit funds to a number of influential politicians and former government
officials, many of them linked to the ex-president.
Prosecutors are investigating whether Jung, a close confident of Roh, embezzled
the money to create slush funds for Roh's personal use and if Roh was involved in
the case. Jung denied Roh's recognition of the slush funds, saying he created the
funds in order to give the money to Roh after his retirement.
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