Ex-bodyguard joins Roh in detention

Ex-bodyguard joins Roh in detention

SEOUL (Reuter): South Korea's Roh Tae-woo spent his first full
day behind bars yesterday but was not likely to run into his ex-
bodyguard, who was detained earlier in the day as the fallout
grew from the country's slush fund scandal.

Lee Hyun-woo, who ran the country's intelligence agency and
later exposed former president Roh's slush fund secrets, joined
his one-time boss in the same detention center as prosecutors
took him on several charges, including bribery.

The domestic Yonhap news agency said prison officials were
making sure that the two did not run into each other while
staying in the Seoul Detention House in the southern Kyonggi
province.

Lee was arrested after being grilled by state prosecutors for
more than 50 hours over his role in managing some of Roh's US$654
million slush funds.

"In the eyes of the public, Mr Lee may seem to be following
his ex-boss into detention as a bodyguard," Yonhap said. "But
prison officials say the two have been put into different wards
to prevent them from running into each other."

Detention house officials were not available for comment.

It was Lee Hyun-woo who stepped forward a few days after an
opposition lawmaker accused Roh of secretly building up millions
during his office to confess that he had personally managed a
48.5 billion won ($63 million) slush fund for the ex-president.

A prosecution official said Lee, once Roh's top bodyguard and
later director of the Agency for the National Security Planning,
was suspected of receiving 2.65 billion won ($3.44 million) from
business tycoons in return for giving them favors in lucrative
projects.

The retired four-star general on Thursday became the first
South Korean state of head, retired or serving, to be arrested.

Roh, who was reported to have been given prison number "100",
was visited yesterday by his only son Jae-hun, who carried some
history books and clothes.

The scandal threatened to engulf more prominent figures.

Heads of business groups whom prosecutors accused of giving
bribes to Roh would soon be summoned again for questioning, said
a prosecution official.

Prosecutors on Thursday said they have evidence Roh took more
than $300 million in bribes from 30 business moguls during his
1988-93 term in office.

"Several heads of business groups cannot escape re-summoning,"
the prosecution official said without elaborating.

Roh tearfully confessed last month to amassing a $654 million
slush fund and said he still retained $242 million.

Guards were maintaining a round-the-clock vigil outside the
cell housing Roh, who could be spending his 63rd birthday next
month behind bars.

Prosecutors were also expected to question politicians
suspected of having dipped into Roh's secret coffers.