S. Korea's Chun to be indicted of bribery

S. Korea's Chun to be indicted of bribery

SEOUL (Reuter): South Korean prosecutors said yesterday that
former president Chun Doo Hwan will be formally indicted on
bribery charges today, the second former head of state to be
charged with corruption in as many months.

Chun would join his successor Roh Tae-woo, who was charged
with corruption in early December. They already face mutiny
charges over the 1979 coup that propelled Chun to power.

"Mr Chun will be indicted. It will occur as soon as an
official announcement is made on the charges at 2 p.m. (0500 GMT)
tomorrow," he told Reuters.

State radio said prosecutors had determined Chun amassed more
than 500 billion won (now equivalent to about US$631 million)
during his 1980-88 term in office. They arrived at the figure
after grilling his relatives and aides.

Chun's alleged slush fund is even larger than the 500 billion
won that Roh confessed to acquiring during his 1988-93 tenure.

The radio also said three to four people close to Chun faced
legal action on Friday over the alleged fund.

The domestic Yonhap news agency quoted a prosecution official
as saying Chun still had about 200 billion won ($255 million) in
real estate and other financial assets.

It said those to face indictment included Chun's former chief
bodyguard, Ahn Hyun-tae, and Sung Yong-wok, head of the Office of
National Tax Administration during Chun's term.

Both were detained on Wednesday on charges of helping Chun
acquire an illegal fortune and receiving cash from businessmen in
exchange for favors.

Yonhap also said Chun's former presidential economic aide
Sakong Il and Ahn Moo-hyuk, a lawmaker of the ruling party and
former head of the national security agency, would be indicted
but not detained.

It said the two allegedly helped Chun build up his illicit
funds. But they would not be detained since they did not receive
bribes themselves.

In addition, prosecutors were likely to reveal names of
companies that offered Chun bribes.

Chun was arrested in December and indicted on charges of
leading the putsch that was followed by a massacre of pro-
democracy demonstrators by troops in the southeast city of
Kwangju in 1980.

He began a hunger strike on the day of his arrest in protest
at what he believed was an attempt by President Kim Young-sam to
destroy his political legacy. Chun abandoned the strike this
month, but he is still weak.

Roh is on trial along with heads of seven business
conglomerates accused of giving him 284 billion won ($359
million) in bribes.

State television on Wednesday said Ahn's arrest warrant named
heads of eight business groups as giving 28 billion won ($36
million) to Chun in return for favors.

They are Miwon, Hanwha, Ssangyong, Dong Ah Construction,
Daelim, Kumho, Dainong and Chinhung groups, KBS television said.
The trial of Roh and the heads of the seven conglomerates is
scheduled to resume on Jan. 15.