hankyoreh

April 30.

Former President Roh Moo-hyun is being investigated by prosecutors 14 months after his term’s conclusion. He has now become the third former president to be investigated, following Former Presidents Roh Tae-woo and Chun Doo-whan. The prosecutors are investigating him of allegations of bribery and whether he received as much as a 6 million dollar bribe from Park Yeon-cha, a 64 year-old business tycoon from the South Kyungsang Province. The Taekwang Industrial Chairman is currently being investigated for his involvement in illegal government lobbying that spans two administrations and has been indicated on charges of tax evasion.

At 1:19 p.m. on April 30, a bus from the Presidential Security Office arrived in front of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in the Seocho neighborhood of Seoul.

The former President Roh Moo-hyun stepped out from the bus two minutes after the door opened. When the former President with his un-dyed white hair stood on the photo line, with cameras flashing the reporters began asking their questions. The former president Roh did not answer any questions, however, and remained with his lips firmly closed after making a few formal statements.

While supporters outside the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office shouted his name repeatedly, Roh did not turn his face towards them.

The former president was questioned by four prosecutors in the presence of Moon Jae-in, the former Chief Presidential Secretary. Prosecutors questioned him based on Park’s testimony where Park said he “gave money at the request of former President Roh,” however the former president emphasized his stance that he did not know of the situation in which Park handed over the money to Roh’s wife. During the investigation, however, Roh refused a face-to-face meeting with Park Yeon-cha.

Former President Roh returned to his hometown Bongwha village in South Kyungsang Province that night after the questioning was over. The prosecution will decide within the next few days whether they will request an arrest warrant.

Earlier in the day, before getting on the bus to Seoul with his lawyers and former secretary at 8 a.m., Roh apologized to the people, saying “I am ashamed of myself. I am so sorry to be bitterly disappointing people.”

It is reported that the former president talked to his confidential aides, including Lee Byung-wan, a former chief presidential secretary and former Health Minister Yu Shi-min before the trip to Seoul began. Roh expressed to his aides, “I am very sorry to you, but I did not know the facts at that time.” In response to this, former First Lady Kwon Yang-sook said, “He had not taken care of family affairs, so I had the responsibility of economic management of the household.” She cried while saying, “That situation caused this kind of thing to happen.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]