Roh faces new charges about $100 kickback

Roh faces new charges about $100 kickback

SEOUL (AFP): South Korea's disgraced former president Roh Tae-
woo yesterday faced new charges that he had concealed a US$100
million kickback in Swiss bank accounts.

Opposition legislators accused Roh of stashing a huge amount
in kickbacks from businessmen in return for issuing licenses for
state projects, including a military contract to purchase 120
U.S. F-16 jet fighters.

Under opposition pressure, the prosecution said it was
launching a new probe into Roh's alleged fund in Swiss bank
accounts.

Roh, in a nationally televised apology on Friday, admitted he
had amassed $650 million in a political slush fund while in
office from 1987 to 1993.

"We are considering an investigation (through diplomatic
channels) to confirm the existence of Roh's Swiss bank account,"
said chief prosecutor Ahn Kang-min.

Ahn's statement followed allegations by opposition legislator
Park Kye-dong that Roh had held air force chief Chung Yong-hoo
prisoner in an army hospital for 25 days to force him to change
his selection of the F-18 to the F-16.

The air force chief was subsequently sacked by Roh and
arrested in 1993 by the government of incumbent President Kim
Young-Sam on charges of receiving bribes.

"The former air force chief told me about this shortly before
he was arrested," said the opposition legislator, who first
revealed the existence of Roh's slush fund.

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