Former South Korean minister imprisoned
Former South Korean minister imprisoned
SEOUL (AGENCIES): South Korean prosecutors yesterday jailed sacked defense minister Lee Yang-ho and the head of a subsidiary of the giant Daewoo business group in Poland embroiled in a bribery scandal, witnesses said.
Lee was sent down to the Seoul Detention House, where he will await trial for allegedly accepting 150 million won (US$180,000) last year through an arms dealer from Daewoo Heavy Industries Ltd, AFP reported.
Lee is also charged with leaking secrets on a jet fighter combat guidance system to the arms dealer.
Also jailed were Suk Jin-chul, the president of a joint- venture auto maker dominated by Daewoo in Poland, Daewoo FSO (Fabryka Samochodow Osobowych) Motor Corporation, and two colleagues of the arms dealer.
Suk is charged with passing the 150 million won to Lee. Daewoo was at that time seeking to sell light combat helicopters to the military.
A spokesman of Daewoo Business Group said that despite of the jailing of Suk, Daewoo would move ahead with its business in Poland.
Prosecutors suspended their move to press charges against the arms dealer, Kwon Byung-ho, as he is believed to be in China, with which South Korea has no treaty for extradition.
State media have quoted Lee as denying any wrongdoing. Daewoo said it gave money to the arms dealer but insisted it was a commission, not a bribe, according to Reuter.
Prosecutors this week also grilled three Daewoo executives, including Sok Chin-chol, who was president of Daewoo Heavy last year.
President Kim removed Lee from his post on Oct. 17 as part of a reshuffle of the military's top brass. The reshuffle followed harsh criticism of the military for failing to prevent an incursion by a North Korean submarine last month.
Hours after Lee's dismissal, the National Congress accused Lee of taking the bribes, prompting the president to order a full investigation.
Lee headed the air force during Roh's presidency. He became defense minister after Kim succeeded Roh in 1993.