South Korea's Roh apologizes to nation(CNN)

 

        South Korean travelers watch on TV former President Roh Moo-Hyun at a railway station in Seoul on Thursday.

 (CNN) -- Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun apologized Thursday for his connection to a corruption probe, saying he felt "ashamed and sorry" for disappointing his fellow citizens, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Roh made his remarks at his home in Bongha village in Gimhae, about 280 miles (450 km) southeast of Seoul, before leaving for the capital to meet with prosecutors.

Roh is the nation's third former president to be summoned, following in the footsteps of Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, both of whom were convicted in 1995 of receiving bribes and inciting a mutiny. They were sentenced to death but received pardons in 1997 by then-President Kim Young-Sam.

Roh, who ended his term in office in February 2008, has not been formally charged. Investigators, however, have linked him to an alleged $5-million bribery scandal involving Park Yeon-cha, a businessman and longtime supporter arrested last year on graft and tax evasion charges, Yonhap reported.

Roh denied the allegations in a written statement submitted to the prosecution on Saturday, according to Yonhap.

Roh will also be questioned over a separate corruption scandal involving his former aide Jung Sang-moon who was arrested last week, according to Yonhap.

 

                                Riot pollice split about 100 conservative activists, left, and dozens of Roh supporters in Seoul on Thursday.

 http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/04/30/skorea.roh/index.html

盧前大統領が検察出頭　「失望させて申し訳ない」

 

                                                 ３０日、ソウルの最高検察庁前には市民が集まり、盧前大統領の不正資金疑惑に抗議した（ＡＰ）

 【ソウル＝水沼啓子】韓国の盧武鉉前大統領（６２）は３０日午後、有力後援者による６００万ドル（約５億８０００万円）余りの不正資金供与疑惑でソウルの最高検に出頭し、事情聴取を受けた。最高検は収賄容疑での立件を目指しており、韓国メディアによると、逮捕はせず在宅起訴となる公算が大きいという。

　前大統領はこの日朝、弁護士らを伴い韓国南部・慶尚南道金海市郊外の自宅を専用バスで出発、その際、詰めかけた報道陣や支援者らに「国民の皆さんに面目ない。失望させて申し訳ない」と述べた。韓国のテレビのキー局３局は自宅を出る様子を生中継した。

　検察によると、前大統領の有力後援者、朴淵次・泰光実業会長（６３）が権良淑夫人（６１）ら前大統領の家族・親戚（しんせき）に計６００万ドルを提供したとされる。検察はこれらの資金が実質的に前大統領へのわいろに当たるとみて捜査している。

　前大統領は、権夫人が借金返済のために１００万ドルの資金を受け取ったことを認めているが、自身の関与は否定している。

　検察は、事情聴取を３０日のみ行い、再召喚しない方針で、本人が同意すればこの日深夜まで行われる可能性もある。韓国で大統領経験者が事情聴取を受けるのは、１９９５年に逮捕された盧泰愚、全斗煥両氏に続き３人目。

 

                                                                                                 盧武鉉前韓国大統領

                                                                   30日朝、最高検への出頭前、韓国国民に謝罪する盧前大統領（ＡＰ）

                                                            30日朝、最高検への出頭前、韓国国民に頭を下げて謝罪する盧前大統領（ＡＰ）

                                                                       30日朝、自宅からソウルの最高検に出頭する盧前大統領（ＡＰ）

 

                                                                         ３０日、ソウルの最高検察庁に到着した盧前大統領（ＡＰ）

 http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/korea/090430/kor0904300819003-n1.htm

 

S Korea ex-leader set for probe

By John Sudworth BBC News, Seoul Mr Roh will face questioning in Seoul over corruption allegations South Korea's former president has apologised for a corruption scandal as he left his rural hometown to face questioning over alleged bribe-taking. In a statement, Roh Moo-hyun said: "I feel ashamed before my fellow citizens. I am sorry for disappointing you." Mr Roh has been summoned as a suspect in the case but prosecutors have yet to decide whether to charge him. Mr Roh came to power in 2003 partly on an anti-corruption ticket, and served until 2008. As he left his home on Thursday morning Mr Roh bowed to waiting reporters, and made his apology in front of the television cameras. Under a police escort, and followed every inch of the way by TV news helicopters, his convoy then set off for the five-hour journey to Seoul. He will face questioning at the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office over corruption allegations. Excesses Mr Roh came to power promising his administration would be free from foul play, but the former president, who left office last year, now faces accusations that he took millions of dollars in bribes from a businessman friend, the wealthy head of a shoe manufacturing company. At one point a bag containing the equivalent of one million dollars in cash is said to have been delivered to the presidential office. In a statement posted on his website earlier this month, Mr Roh admitted that his wife received a substantial sum of money from the businessman, but suggested it was not a bribe, but a payment to help her settle a debt. For the South Korean public, the allegations are a reminder of an era many hoped had passed, in which former presidents found themselves embroiled in corruption scandals, and sometimes convicted and jailed for their excesses. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8026140.stm

                       韓前總統盧武鉉接受檢方傳訊調查 自稱"很抱歉"

中新網4月30日電南韓前總統盧武鉉30日到南韓大檢察廳接受詢問。他從金海市峰河村私宅出發前往首爾瑞草洞大檢察廳(車程353公里左右)，接受長達9個小時以上的嚴密調查後，當晚返回峰河村。

據南韓《北韓日報》報道，各家媒體記者將乘車追蹤，而且各大電視臺利用直升機，空中直播盧武鉉的移動情況。盧武鉉可能在服務區暫時休息，但午餐很有可能在車上吃事先準備的便當。

據韓聯社消息，盧武鉉30日在前往首爾接受檢察調查，從峰下村啟程之前簡單地接受了傳媒採訪。他說：“很抱歉讓各位失望。”

盧武鉉一行乘坐的大巴跑5個小時就到達大檢察廳前庭，屆時迎接他的是在場的上百媒體記者。

盧武鉉在大檢察廳事務局長的陪同下到7樓的中央調查部長李仁圭的辦公室進行談話。

南韓大檢察廳中央調查部29日表示，盧武鉉涉嫌在職期間從泰光實業樸淵次會長手中收受600萬美元賄賂(違反《特別犯罪加重處罰法》

檢方認為，2007年6月29日由前任總務秘書鄭相文送至總統官邸的100萬美元、2008年2月匯向盧武鉉的侄女婿延哲浩的500萬美元都是盧武鉉開口索要的錢。http://big5.china.com.cn/international/txt/2009-04/30/content_17699216.htm

 

검찰 수사 4대 쟁점은?

2006년 8월 박연차 회장이 권양숙 여사에게 100만달러를 건넨 사실을 노무현 전 대통령이 언제 알았을까가 최대 쟁점입니다.

검찰은 상식의 틀에서 노 전 대통령이 몰랐을리 없다고 판단, 반면 노 전 대통령은 최근에야 알았다는 기존 주장을 굽히지 않고 있습니다.

조카사위 연철호 씨의 홍콩계좌로 송금된 500만달러도 쟁점입니다.

검찰은 이 돈에 대해 노 전 대통령 아들인 건호 씨가 지배력을 행사한 점 등을 들어 노 전 대통령의 연관성을 집중적으로 캐묻고 있습니다.

노 전 대통령은 그러나 호의적 투자였으며 역시 퇴임 직후 알았다며 관련성을 부인하고 있습니다.

2006년 9월 회갑 선물로 박 회장과 정대근 전 농협회장이 건넨 1억원 짜리 명품시계 2개와 3만 달러에 대해서도 양측의 주장이 엇갈리고 있습니다.

정상문 전 청와대 비서관이 횡령한 청와대 자금 12억 5천만원에 대해서도 노 전 대통령 자신은 전혀 몰랐다고 주장하지만 검찰은 관련성이 있다고 보고 있습니다.

포괄적 뇌물죄 혐의를 밝히려는 검찰, 그리고 이에 맞서는 노 전 대통령, 수 개월을 달려온 검찰 수사는 오늘 밤 자정을 전후해 사실상 결판날 것으로 보입니다.

 http://news.kbs.co.kr/article/society/200904/20090430/1768011.html