Ex-President Roh questioned over bribery scandals

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead paras; UPDATES with remarks from a prosecution
official, additional details)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- Former President Roh Moo-hyun presented himself
before state prosecutors Thursday for questioning over suspicions that he and his
family members, including his son, received millions of dollars in bribes from a
businessman.
The questioning began shortly after the former head of state arrived at the
Supreme Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul around 1:30 p.m. from his home in a
remote village in Gimhae, some 400 kilometers southeast of the capital.
Prosecutors said the interrogation was going smoothly.
Roh has not refused to testify, a prosecution official said in the first of
several briefings scheduled during the questioning. "He is laying out his
argument," the official said.
Roh, 62, is the nation's third former president to be summoned by the prosecution
after Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, who were both convicted in 1995 of receiving
bribes and inciting a mutiny. Both were sentenced to death but were pardoned in
1997 by then President Kim Young-sam.
"I am deeply ashamed before my fellow citizens. I am sorry to have disappointed
you," said the former president Thursday before embarking on his trip to Seoul.

No formal charges have been leveled against Roh, who concluded his term in
February last year, but investigators believe he may have been involved in a
bribery scandal involving US$5 million allegedly paid by a local businessman to
his son, Gun-ho, and his brother's son-in-law, Yeon Cheol-ho.
Both the son and Yeon have been summoned by prosecutors several times on
suspicion of receiving money from Park Yeon-cha, a businessman and long-time
supporter of the former president. Park, chairman of shoemaker Taekwang Industry,
was arrested late last year for graft and tax evasion.
The two claimed the money was a legitimate investment made by Park in a company
owned and run by Yeon, but the prosecution believes the money was meant to reach
the former president.
Roh denied the allegations in a written statement submitted to the prosecution
Saturday that came as a reply to a written inquiry from the prosecution.
Prosecutors earlier said they had prepared over 200 questions for Roh but hope to
wrap up the probe around midnight out of respect for the former head of state.
In a related case involving his wife, Kwon Yang-sook, Roh admitted that she had
accepted a huge sum from Park to pay off a personal debt, with investigators
alleging at least $1 million was handed over to Kwon.
The former president could face indictment on a broad range of bribery charges if
found to have had prior knowledge about the money given to his family members,
according to prosecution officials.
Roh will also be questioned over a separate corruption scandal involving his
former aide Jung Sang-moon, who was arrested last week for allegedly embezzling
some 1.25 billion won from the coffers of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae
and taking 300 million won in bribes from Park, both during Roh's term.
Investigators are trying to find out whether the money, kept in bank accounts
held under various names, was meant for Roh's use or if the accounts were set up
at Roh's request.
The prosecutors said both Park Yeon-cha and Jung Sang-moon have been brought in
for possible cross-examination.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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