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.

Korea -- Page 16