Lee denies allegations in 1st corruption hearing
Former President Lee Myung-bak appeared for his first official hearing at the Seoul Central District Court Wednesday, 62 days after his arrest in late March on corruption charges.
“I feel deeply sad ... the indictment is far-fetched,” he said when given a chance to make a statement. “It is painful to fight against people I worked with when leading this country.”
Lee, who was president from 2008-2013, was indicted April 9 and faces 16 charges including bribery, abuse of power, embezzlement, breach of trust and tax evasion as well as violations of the election and presidential records laws.
The bribery charge alone involves 11 billion won ($10.5 million) and the embezzlement charge, 35 billion won from the auto parts firm DAS.
Lee is accused of using funds from DAS for political and personal purposes.
Some of his closest aides have been put behind bars for their involvement in the crimes alleged against him.
Lee has denied all wrongdoing and claims the probe is political retaliation by the liberal Moon Jae-in government.
He again denied all allegations regarding the ownership of DAS at the hearing.
“The DAS charges are something that is just incomprehensible to the extent of my common sense,” Lee said. “My older brother and brother in-law established and operated DAS, for the last 30 years I had no involvement in the operation and ownership of DAS.”,
Lee claimed it was “shocking and an insult” to be accused of a crime regarding allegations that Samsung paid DAS’s lawsuit fees.
Samsung Electronics is said to have paid $5.85 million in lawsuit expenses on behalf of DAS.
“When I entered politics, I was resolute that I would not use power against businesses for money and retaliate against them with tax investigations if they didn’t comply.”
Lee also questioned the credibility of the prosecution’s evidence and urged the judges to thoroughly review the evidence.
He has refused to meet prosecutors for additional questioning in the detention center he is being held in, saying the case has been handled unfairly.
The former president apologized to the public for appearing as a defendant in a criminal case.
He is Korea’s fourth former president to be arrested and put on trial for corruption.