Roh Took Money via Daughter
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
The prosecution said Tuesday that Taekwang owner Park Yeon-cha wired $400,000 to former President Roh Moo-hyun's daughter in 2007.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Park sent the money to a U.S. account of an acquaintance of Roh Jeong-yeon, in September 2007 after laundering the funds via his Hong Kong-based paper company, APC.
The funds are separate from the $1 million that is known to have been given to the Roh family through the ex-President's wife, it said.
The prosecution suspects she used the money to purchase a house in the U.S. worth around $1.6 million.
The daughter and her lawyer husband, Kwak Sang-eun, were questioned Monday, prosecutors said. The couple is to be summoned again, they added.
``Through the interrogation, we confirmed that Roh's daughter has managed and spent the funds,'' said senior prosecutor Hong Man-pyo said. ``Roh's former secretary Chung Sang-moon is known to have played a key role in the deal.''
``This is a totally new transaction,'' Hong said.
However, Roh's lawyer Moon Jae-in denied the allegations, saying, ``It was just part of the $1 million.''
Chung has been arrested and indicted, in a separate case, on charges of embezzling Cheong Wa Dae funds.
Roh has been accused of receiving $6 million during his presidency from Park. Roh has admitted to receiving $1 million from the Busan-based tycoon, claiming his wife borrowed the money to repay her debts. He has denied all bribery allegations.