Korea's history of arrested ex-Presidents
Roh Tae-woo and Chun Doo-hwan during their first trial on Aug. 26, 1996. / Korea Times file
By Lee Han-soo
Park Geun-hye is the country's fourth former president to be questioned over criminal allegations, following Roh Tae-woo, Chun Doo-hwan and the late Roh Moo-hyun.
If a warrant is issued, Park will be the third former president to be arrested. Presidents Roh Tae-woo and Chun Doo-hwan were arrested and sent for trial.
Roh Tae-woo was the first former Korean president to wear a prison uniform.
The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on Nov. 1, 1995, investigated him for receiving over 200 billion won ($179 million) in bribes from conglomerates, including from then Daewoo Group chairman Kim Woo-jung.
“I will carry all the distrust and conflict,” Roh said before he was jailed at a Seoul detention center. “I will accept any form of punishment.”
Chun Doo-hwan was summoned on Dec. 2, 1995, for high treason over the coup detat of December 12 and the Gwangju Uprising.
But on the day of his summons, Chun said: “I will not cooperate with any form of procedures.”
He was arrested and jailed at Anyang prison.
Roh Tae-woo and Chun were then put on trial on treason, mutiny and bribery charges. In August 1996, Chun was sentenced to death and Roh to 22 years in prison. On Apr. 17, 1997, the Supreme Court reduced Roh’s sentence to 17 years and Chun’s to life imprisonment.
But they were released after a special pardon on Dec. 22, 1997.
Roh Moo-hyun was investigated on Apr. 30, 2009, on suspicion of receiving $6 million in bribes from Park Yeon-Cha, a businessman close to him.
The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office was determining whether to issue an arrest warrant when Roh committed suicide.