[Joint Press Corps.]
SEOUL -- Prosecutors sought a court-issued warrant Monday to arrest South Korea's conservative ex-president Lee Myung-bak, five days after he was questioned for a probe into alleged corruption and other illegal activities.
The prosecution insisted on Lee's detention, citing the danger of tampering with evidence.
Lee was released Thursday morning after a 21-hour interrogation on multiple charges including bribery, embezzlement, tax evasion, breach of trust and abuse of power. He is suspected of receiving about 11 billion won (10.28 million US dollars) and creating a slush fund estimated at 35 billion won.
Lee, 76, has denied any wrongdoing, describing the probe as political retaliation for the death of his predecessor, Roh Moo-hyun, who threw himself off a mountain cliff in 2009 following a humiliating probe into alleged corruption involving his family.
Prosecutors have questioned Lee's family members and key aides. The key issue is DAS, an auto parts supplier for Hyundai Motor. There have been allegations that Lee is the real owner of DAS controlled by his elder brother and used the company to create a slush fund.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
