S. Korea's Roh jailed on bribery charges

S. Korea's Roh jailed on bribery charges

SEOUL (Reuter): Former South Korean president Roh Tae-woo was
arrested and jailed yesterday on charges of taking bribes worth
more than US$300 million from business conglomerates while in
office.

Roh, the first former or current head of state to be charged
with a crime, was pelted with eggs as he was driven in a black
limousine through the entrance of the Seoul Detention House.

"Roh Tae-woo. Thief!" several bystanders chanted at the
retired four-star general who has admitted to amassing $654
million during his 1988-93 term.

Minutes earlier, Roh apologized to the nation on the steps of
the Seoul Prosecutor General's office.

"I'm really sorry," he said. "I will take all responsibility
and any punishment."

A 1,000-page arrest warrant said 30 tycoons gave kickbacks to
Roh worth between 500 million won ($650,000) and 25 billion won
($32.5 million), according to a Seoul district court judge.

Among them were the chairmen of the powerful Daewoo group,
accused of giving Roh 10 billion won ($13 million) in return for
a contract to build a submarine base, and the chief executive of
the Dong Ah group, a major construction concern.

"He did not admit all the bribery charges against him," the
judge told reporters. "He admitted that he took money but said he
could not remember exactly who gave him the money and when and
where he received it."

Roh was driven to jail in the back seat of the limousine
flanked by two prosecution officials.

Several dozen blue-uniformed security guards surrounded the
vehicle as it passed through the high steel doors of the inner
lock-up, leaving behind several hundred reporters.

Roh was given a prison number and was taken for a medical
check-up. He was led to an unheated cell with guards standing 24-
hour watch outside to protect him from other prisoners.

Strained

Looking strained after about 28 hours spent with prosecutors,
Roh said in his apology he regretted harming South Korea's
business community. He was not handcuffed.

"What really hurts is that many businessmen have suffered
because of me. I hope you give them help and encouragement not to
lag behind in international competitiveness," he said in stern,
measured tones.

He said he hoped good could come out of the scandal.

"I hope politicians will clean away distrust and feuding among
themselves and establish a new political culture through
compromise, mutual understanding and cooperation for our
successors," he said.

South Koreans, furious at corruption and greed among
politicians, gloated at news of Roh's demise, with many calling
him a crook who deserved no pity.

"He is a thief and he deserves to be arrested," said
businessman Kim Dae-kyu.

"It's sad that a former president has to go to prison, but he
has to be punished," said one of Roh's neighbors.

Roh was hauled before prosecutors on Wednesday, one day after
threatening to spill the beans on his financing of the 1992
presidential election campaign.

Veteran opposition Kim Dae-jung has admitted accepting $2.6
million from Roh and has announced a "do or die" war against his
archrival President Kim Young-sam, who he alleges took hundreds
of millions of dollars.

President Kim has said he did not receive "a single cent".

As Roh arrived in jail, the domestic Yonhap news agency quoted
Kim as saying "it is an unhappy and shameful incident".