Korean prosecutors seek 20-yr jail term for ex-Pres. Lee Myung-bak

2018.09.07 12:08:13 | 2018.09.07 14:29:51

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South Korean prosecutors on Thursday requested a 20-year jail term for former President Lee Myung-bak, who was charged for pocketing 40 billion won ($35.6 million) in bribes and embezzlement while in office.

The prosecutors also demanded a heavy fine of 15 billion won and forfeiture of 11.1 billion won in the final hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, accusing the former president of undermining the constitution by exploiting elected power for personal gains.

The 76-year-old former Hyundai chief executive has become the country¡¯s fourth former president to be charged or convicted of criminal offences.

His successor Park Geun-hye, ousted last year due to a nationwide corruption scandal, was sentenced 25 years in prison for corruption and abuse of power last month. Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, who ruled the country in the 1980s and early 1990s, were also jailed for corruption and treason after leaving office. They were later pardoned.

Late president Roh Moo Hyun committed suicide after he was embroiled in a corruption probe after he left office.

Lee, who served as president from 2008 to 2013, was indicted in April on 16 counts.

He was accused of taking 11 billion won in bribes, including 6.8 billion won in litigation fees from Samsung Electronics on behalf of DAS, an auto parts maker allegedly owned by Lee that was used to operate a slush fund.

Prosecutors said Lee hid his ownership of the company in the names of his relatives and embezzled 34.9 billion won and evaded 3.1 billion won in corporate taxes.

Lee in his final statement flatly denied the charges, saying he has ¡°guarded his life from corruption and corporate ties¡± and that to be faced with such an accusation was ¡°shameful.¡±

The first court verdict on Lee is due on Oct. 5.

By Chae Jong-won and Kim Hyo-jin

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