Prosecutors to Summon Ex-Pres. Over Bribery Scandal

Prosecutors plan to summon former President Roh Moo-hyun this week over allegations that he took six million U.S. dollars in bribes from Taekwang Industry Chairman Park Yeon-cha while president.

Park testified to prosecutors, “I sent one million dollars in June 2007 and five million dollars in February last year at the request of former President Roh Moo-hyun.”

On the payment of one million dollars, prosecutors said they summoned former First Lady Kwon Yang-sook as a reference Saturday for questioning at the Busan District Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Kwon reportedly told prosecutors, “I borrowed that money via Jung Sang-moon, former presidential secretary for administrative affairs, to repay a debt.”

She provided, however, no IOU elaborating on the principal, interest rate and redemption date or other evidence to support her argument.

Kwon’s claims coincide with Roh`s apology on his online homepage Tuesday and Jung’s testimony made the same day. Though Jung claimed he was the one who used one million dollars at first, he admitted delivering the money to Kwon after hearing about Roh’s online apology from his attorneys, according to prosecutors.

Roh posted his third apology on his Web site Sunday afternoon under the title "There is Explaining and Defending to Do.

“It is humiliating and embarrassing to say my wife did something I knew nothing about. Nonetheless, I won`t say I know things I really do not know about,” Roh said.

By doing so, Roh reaffirmed his original stance that he knew nothing about the money while president. He also said Park’s testimony cannot be trusted, saying, “He is telling a different story from the one I know.”

Prosecutors also interrogated the ex-president`s son Gun-ho Sunday over his involvement in demanding five million dollars from Park together with Yeon Chul-ho, the husband of Roh Moo-hyun’s niece.

Prosecutors also questioned Roh over whether part of the five million dollars was used as capital for his overseas venture capital set up with Yeon.

Yeon was released yesterday morning after being arrested Friday on charges of breaking the foreign exchange law.

Prosecutor Hong Man-pyo said, “He will be summoned a couple of times more since there is much to be investigated on Roh Gun-ho and Yeon.”

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