Prosecutors request arrest warrant for ex-president's brother

SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for the older brother of former President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday on suspicions that he accepted bribes in return for influencing the sale of an ailing securities firm in 2006.

Roh Gun-pyeong was interrogated for 12 hours on Monday in his first summons after
the allegation broke last month. Prosecutors decided to detain him to probe
deeper into his suspected role in the takeover of Sejong Securities Co. by
state-run conglomerate National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, or Nonghyup.
"As the result of our questioning of Mr. Roh and comparison of his statements
with the evidence, we decided there are sufficient grounds to suspect that he has
accepted bribes, that it is a grave issue and there is reasonable concern that he
could flee or the evidence could be destroyed," Choi Jai-kyeong, spokesman for
the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, told reporters.
The Seoul Central District Court is expected to decide within a day or two on
whether to issue the warrant.
Roh, who was convicted in another bribery case in 2004, denied the allegations.
"I told them in detail I haven't accepted money," Roh said Monday night as he was
sent home from the prosecutor's office after the intensive inquiry.
Asked by reporters how he felt about the impact of the scandal on his younger
brother, Roh responded, "I am not guilty, but I apologize to him for causing this
trouble."
The probe is reminiscent of corruption scandals involving relatives of the
country's leaders that have frequently emerged after they've left office.
Relatives and friends of former President Roh's predecessors have either been
implicated or convicted by successive administration.
Investigators say they have found sufficient grounds to charge the elder Roh with
bribery.
The parent company of Sejong Securities reportedly wanted to sell the distressed
firm to Nonghyup, a giant conglomerate that has a number of agricultural and
financial affiliates under its wing.
The parent company, Sejong Capital, allegedly gave 3 billion won (US$2 million)
to lobbyists who were acquainted with Roh. They used 1.8 billion won to buy
business space and video game equipment in a building near Roh's rural home,
Bonghwa village in South Gyeongsang Province, according to investigators.
Prosecutors suspect that the video game arcade and its proceeds might have been
intended as compensation for Roh.
The allegations, if proven, could land him a jail sentence of up to five years or
a fine of 50 million won.
Roh has said he had only made a simple phone call to the chief of Nonghyup, Chung
Dae-kun, at that time to introduce the securities firm and that no
influence-peddling took place.
Nonghyup bought Sejong Securities for 110 billion won, about half a year after
Roh called Chung, a long-time friend of Roh who was also suspected of pocketing
bribes in the takeover. He is currently serving a jail term on another bribery
case.
In 2004, Roh Gun-pyeong was convicted of accepting 30 million won in kickbacks
from the head of Daewoo Engineering and Construction and received a suspended
jail term.
The Daewoo E&C chief, Nam Sang-kook, committed suicide by jumping into Seoul's
Han River after then President Roh shamed him during a public conference
broadcast nationwide.