Roh's former aide indicted on bribery charge

SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- One of former President Roh Moo-hyun's confidants has
been indicted on a bribery charge, prosecutors said Sunday, amid reports of an
imminent decision by the prosecution on whether to seek an arrest warrant for the
former president on a separate bribery charge.
Jung Sang-moon, who served as presidential secretary for administrative affairs
during the Roh presidency between 2003 and 2008, was indicted on charge of
accepting 400 million won (US$320,000) in bribes from the arrested chairman of
shoemaker Taekwang Industry, Park Yeon-cha, in return for business favors and
embezzling 1.25 billion won from the coffers of the presidential office Cheong Wa
Dae.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (SPO) said it will soon summon Roh's
wife, Kwon Yang-sook, to question her about suspicion surrounding a $1 million
she had received from Park through Jung in June 2007.
Roh and Kwon have already been questioned by prosecutors over the past weeks and
insisted that the $1 million borrowed from Park was used to pay their personal
debts.
Kwon, if summoned again this week, will also be asked why she had insisted that
she was the real recipient of 300 million won of the 400 million won paid by Park
to Jung, SPO prosecutors said.
Following the questioning of the former first lady, the SPO will finalize its
decision on whether to request an arrest warrant for Roh, who has also been
beleaguered by Park's payment of $5 million to his son and in-law just before his
retirement in February 2008.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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