Ex-SoKor president arrested for alleged corruption
SEOUL (AP) — South Korean ex-president Lee Myungbak was arrested and jailed early yesterday over a range of corruption allegations, becoming the latest in a series of disgraced leaders embroiled in scandals and other problems after leaving office.
A convoy of vehicles, including a black sedan carrying Lee, entered a detention center in Seoul after the Seoul Central District Court approved his arrest warrant, citing what it called serious alleged crimes and a possibility that he might try to destroy evidence. Prosecutors can detain him for up to 20 days before formally charging him.
“Right now, I feel it’s all my fault and I have a guilty conscience rather than blaming others,’’ Lee said in a statement issued shortly before his arrest, according to Yonhap news agency. “Over the past 10 months, I’ve suffered a big pain that I couldn’t endure ... I hope my arrest will relieve the pains of my family and those who worked with me.’’
Lee, 76, a conservative, briefly waved to former aides gathered at his Seoul residence, but didn’t make any comment as he entered the sedan with senior prosecutors to be taken to the detention center.
Prosecutors accuse Lee of taking a total of $10 million in bribes from his own intelligence agency, business groups and others. They allege he also used a private company as a channel to establish illicit slush funds totaling $33 million, embezzled its official funds and evaded taxes.
Lee’s arrest comes about one year after his conservative successor, Park Geun-hye, was ousted from office and put into jail over a separate corruption scandal that touched off months of massive street protests.