Seoul: arrest warrant for president's brother

[Princess]

http://english.kbs.co.kr/News/News/N...id=Po&No=91479

Prosecution Seeks Arrest Warrant for Pres. Lee’s Brother
[2012-07-04, 14:19:53]

Anchor: Prosecutors are expected to request an arrest warrant for President Lee Myung-bak’s elder brother this week after 16 hours of questioning. Investigators say Lee Sang-deuk admitted to several charges against him concerning a savings bank corruption case. Our Kim Soyon has the details.

Report: A joint team of prosecutors at the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office investigating irregularities at saving banks will likely seek the arrest of former ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker Lee Sang-deuk as early as this week.

Lee is expected to be charged with taking bribes and violating the Political Funds Act. He was interrogated for 16 hours before he was sent home at around 1:40 a.m. Wednesday.

It’s suspected the elder Lee received 600 million won from Solomon Savings Bank President Lim Suk and Mirae Savings Bank President Kim Chan-kyung from the time just before the 2007 presidential election through last year when financial authorities were suspending operations at insolvent savings banks.

The probe team believes the bribes the Solomon Savings Bank’s chief gave to Lee were in part aimed at asking authorities to go easy when inspecting his bank. But Lee, while acknowledging the receipt of funds, argues the money was not in return of any favor.

Lee is also believed to have received 150 million won of illegal political funds in the name of advisory fees from Kolon Group where he once served as president.

Prosecutors also grilled him over the source of the 700 million won found in a bank account belonging to one of his aides.

The probe team is expected to request an arrest warrant for Lee later this week after questioning Saenuri Representative Chung Doo-un Thursday. Chung reportedly introduced Solomon Savings Bank President Lim Suk to Lee and was also allegedly present when the bank chief was handing over the illicit funds.

Chung also allegedly received bribes from Lim in 2007, but he says he returned the money.

Kim Soyon, KBS World Radio News.

[Hua Mulan]

http://odili.net/news/source/2012/jul/12/803.html

Thursday, July 12, 2012
South Korean President's brother arrested for taking bribes

by Agency Reporter

The South Korean president's brother was arrested and taken to a detention center on Wednesday after a court approved a warrant on bribery allegations, a major embarrassment to the ruling party in a presidential election year.

The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant for Lee Sang-deuk, the elder brother of President Lee Myung-bak, late Tuesday. Hours earlier, as the suspect entered the court for questioning, enraged protesters threw eggs at him, grabbed his tie and jostled him.

Lee, 76, was taken early Wednesday from the prosecutors' office to the Seoul Detention Center, according to an official who declined to provide further details, including his name, citing office rules.

“I'm sorry,” Lee told reporters who asked what he'd say to the president, after leaving the prosecutors' office for the jail, according to Yonhap news agency.

Prosecutors accuse the former lawmaker of taking half a million dollars in bribes from two detained bankers with the intent of using his influence to help the bankers avoid punishment.

Some of the protesters outside court said they lost money after the government suspended the troubled savings banks Lee is accused of taking bribes from.

Lee wasn't directly hit by any of the eggs during the protest on Tuesday, but some yolk could be seen on his shoulder.

Lee Myung-bak ends his single, five-year presidential term early next year. Elections for the next president are in December.

[Spidey]

So what they arrested the brother of the president of the country? Can't he bribe his way out of jail?

[Princess]

He will be in prison.