Roh's wife willing to cooperate with prosecutors' summons: aide

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Kwon Yang-sook, wife of former President Roh Moo-hyun,
is willing to respond to further questioning about her family's involvement in a
widening corruption scandal, an aide said Friday.

The former president was interrogated by prosectors Thursday over whether he was
aware that his wife allegedly took money from Park Yeon-cha, a disgraced
businessman who allegedly handed out billions of won to political heavyweights
under the Roh administration.
An investigation into Park, who was indicted late last year on bribery and tax
evasion charges, shifted to Roh and his family earlier this month after the
former president admitted that his wife had accepted money from Park to repay
debt.
Roh was questioned for nearly 10 hours by prosecutors on Thursday on the matter,
along with other bribery and embezzlement allegations involving an in-law and a
former presidential aide. Roh, who said he was "ashamed," reportedly denied any
direct involvement.
Kwon was first questioned in April but declined to say how she spent the US$1
million she supposedly received from Park.
Moon Jae-in, a former chief of staff to Roh and a key member of his legal team,
told Yonhap News Agency over the telephone that Kwon had rejected a second
summons by prosecutors last month, citing health reasons, but said that she is
now willing to cooperate.
"We declined the follow-up summons as Kwon was not in the condition to stand
another round of questioning. But she is considering responding to further
questionings if she sees them necessary," Moon said.
Investigators suspect that some of the money may have been used to cover living
expenses for Roh Gun-ho, the former president's son who has been studying in the
U.S., as the funds were allegedly handed over in U.S. currency just one day
before the former president left Seoul to visit the United States and Latin
America.
The junior Roh, who returned to South Korea earlier this month, has also been
questioned by prosecutors.
Moon, who was present at Roh's interrogation on Thursday, said the former
president gave "sincere" answers to the questions. But the accounts obtained by
investigators so far conflict with Roh's statements.
"I'm not sure how much the prosecution agreed with Roh's answers," said Moon,
adding that Roh did not dodge any questions or knowingly withhold any answers.
Regarding Roh's refusal to be cross-examined with Park, Moon said that it would
have been pointless as both sides would have likely maintained their conflicting
arguments. Moon also said such a cross-examination would be an insult to the
former president.
The aide added he "does not rule out the possibility" that an indictment could
lead to an intense battle in court.
Roh is now the nation's third former president to be summoned by the prosecution.
Former presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo were interrogated and later
convicted on charges of inciting a coup and receiving bribes, respectively. Both
were also sentenced to death, but were later pardoned.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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