South Korean prosecutors intend to imprison for 20 years the former leader of the country, Lee Myung-Bak, who, according to their estimates, “deceived the South Korean people to the very end.”
Lee, who was in office from 2008 to 2013, was charged with 16 counts of corruption ranging from bribery and abuse of presidential power, reports upi.com.
Local newspaper Segye Ilbo reported that the former CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction was found guilty of receiving bribes in the amount of $ 9.9 million from state agencies and for the theft of about $ 31 million from DAS during the period from 1994 to 2006.
DAS IS a company that funded the enterprise with Lee’s support, and is a car parts company that, according to the South Korean Prosecutor’s office, is owned by Lee’s relatives. Some of the alleged bribes could have come from an influential company Samsung Electronics Co., and Samsung’s litigation costs are paid on behalf of DAS.
“In his post as President of the country, the defendant violated the Constitution and, apart from sincere reflection, deceived the South Korean people until the very end,” the prosecutors said in a statement.
President Lee Myung-Bak was in power from 2008 to 2013 and is now charged with 16 counts of breaking the law. Another episode is the receipt of 400 million won (375 thousand dollars) as a bribe from the National intelligence service in the period from 2008 to 2012. Now Lee Myung-Bak, once a successful businessman, is in pre-trial detention. During the interrogation, the former President denied the charges against him, calling them “revenge of his opponents led by the current President moon Jae-in.”
It should be noted that under the next President of Korea, Park Geun-Hye, corruption continued: the former head of state was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The term of imprisonment for ex-President of South Korea Park Geun-Hye increased to 25 years. The former President is already serving a 24-year term on charges of corruption and abuse of power. She was also fined almost $ 18 million.
Lee said the convictions were a retaliatory measure. The current President of South Korea, Moon Jae-In, served under progressive Roh Muhyun, who was also suspected of corruption when Lee was President.
Lee pleaded not guilty and said in his latest statement that the corrupt official is a disgrace.
“Corruption and bribery, as well as aggressive alliances between government and business, are what I hate most,” Lee said.
Lee is expected to leave for the final interrogation on October 5, and the event can be broadcast live in South Korea.
Earlier, a court in Seoul acquitted the closest assistant to ex-President Lee Myung-Bak in the case of bribes from the National intelligence service (LDC).
