hankyoreh

Ex-president Lee Myung-bak heads to the Seoul Central District Court for his trial

Standing in the dock, ex-President Lee Myung-bak read out a final statement handwritten on the pages of a green notebook sold for 360 won (US$0.32) at Seoul Detention Center.

“It is mortifying for me to be standing here as a former president. I have spent the last six months engaging in self-reflection and prayer rather than blaming others,” he declared.

But despite including words such as “worry,” “sorry,” “apology,” and “reflect” early on, Lee grew increasingly louder in his claims of unfair victimization as the statement went on.

“I despise corruption and government-collusion business more than anyone. [This situation] is humiliating for me as someone who has always been wary of that,” he said.

“My feelings about being indicted based on ridiculous allegations about pardoning Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee in exchange for bribes go beyond anger to grief.”

“The charges concerning ownership of DAS are utterly incomprehensible by the common sense of a normal person.”

Lee’s delivery of the final statement – reportedly handwritten over almost three A4 pages – last for 16 minutes.

On the afternoon of Sept. 6, the 27th criminal division of Seoul Central District Court under Hon. Judge Jeong Gye-seon held a final hearing in the former President’s first trial to hear the prosecutors’ sentencing opinion, the defense’s final argument, and the accused’s final statement.

From Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, second special investigations department chief Song Gyeong-ho stressed the “need to firmly establish the foundation of a liberal democracy and rule of law that have collapsed terribly by delivering a stern judicial punishment for the anti-Constitutional actions committed by the defendant.”

Song went to announce the prosecution’s request for sentences of “20 years in prison, 15 billion won (US$13.3 million) in fines, and 11,141,317,383 won (US$9,914,825.46) in penalties.”

On Apr. 9 of this year, prosecutors delivered Lee for trial on 16 charges, including embezzlement (34.7 billion won/US$30.9 million) and tax evasion (3.1 billion won/US$2.8 million) in connection with DAS, which Lee is suspected of owning through a borrowed name; acceptance of bribes (11.1 billion won/US$9.9 million), including Samsung’s payment of US litigation costs for DAS on his behalf; and 3,402 instances of leaking presidential archival materials.

Prosecutors described the case as an “example of abuse of power showing all of his overall corrupt practices as President.” They also criticized his actions as representing “corruption, government-business collusion, and moral hazard.”

In response, Lee’s attorney Kang Hoon repeatedly argued that the prosecutors’ investigation constituted “political retribution.”

“During the Cultural Revolution, China’s historical development was set back decades and countless people were unfairly victimized as public opinion was unilaterally drummed up by the forces of Mao Zedong, resulting in divisions among the people,” he claimed.

A Blue House secretary for legal affairs during Lee’s administration, Kang declared, “The defendant Lee Myung-bak, who served five years in office after being elected President through the choice of a majority of South Koreans, is innocent of all charges.”

Lee also devoted time during his final statement to detailing his “achievements” as President.

“Even amid the harsh poverty of my youth, I never coveted what belonged to others, and although I went to prison for my leading role in the student movement to demand democracy when I was young, I never compromised with injustice or curried favor with power to seek my interests,” he said.

Lee also argued that his administration had “successfully overcome the largest financial crisis in history in 2008,” while making additional mention of his administration’s low-carbon green growth policies and hosting of a G20 summit.

Addressing Hon. Judge Jeong Gye-seon, Lee said, “Despite my fears of a politicized trial, I felt it only right to show an attitude of respect for the court, and I have diligently followed all judicial procedures.”

“I thank your honor for being understanding about my health issues,” he added.

Sentencing in Lee’s first trial is scheduled for the afternoon of Oct. 5.　

By Kim Min-kyoung, staff reporter

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