S.korean baseball player held in corruption probe

SEOUL — A professional baseball player has been detained in a widening probe into matchfixing in South Korea's most popular sport, prosecutors said Tuesday.

"An LG Twins player has been detained for questioning," a prosecutor in the southern city of Daegu told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding his office has enough evidence to bring formal charges.

Prosecutors this month expanded their probe into corruption in sport to the baseball league after arresting a gambling broker and a former college baseball player.

"If we obtain concrete evidence that points to additional fixing, we can broaden our investigation," Park Eun- Seok, a senior prosecutor in Daegu, told Yonhap news agency on Monday.

The top football league was rocked by a major match- fixing scandal last year and other sports have also been hit by betting scandals since then.

Several professional volleyball players are under investigation for allegedly taking money from brokers to rig scores. A motorboat racing driver was arrested this month on charges of fixing results.

Last week Culture and Sports minister Choe Kwang-shik vowed to show no mercy towards matchfixing.

" Match- fixing is not just a problem for some sports but an outright criminal act," he said, adding any individual involved in match- fixing would receive maximum penalties.

Under a law revised last year, players and officials accused of match- fixing face a maximum jail term of five years or a fine of up to 50 million won ($44,480).

The government has also strengthened a crackdown on illegal betting sites. South Korea has tough laws restricting gambling but numerous illegal Internet betting sites cover various sports. ( AFP)