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Thursday, 19 February, 2004, 11:07 GMT

Ex-S Korea president questioned

Chun Jae-yong being arrested South Korean prosecutors have questioned former military ruler Chun Doo-hwan after his son, Chun Jae-yong, was arrested for tax evasion.

Chun Doo-hwan was convicted in 1997 of collecting millions of dollars in bribes and ordered to pay back $188m.

He has paid back only $28m so far, and now claims he has only $248 in savings and to be relying on friends.

Prosecutors suspect the rest of the money has been concealed, and some has been given to his son.

Chun Doo-hwan was arrested in 1995 with the beginning of democratic government in South Korea.

Former South Korean president Chun Doo-hwan As well as the bribery conviction he was found guilty of mutiny and treason for leading a military coup in 1979, and the 1980 massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators in the southern city of Gwangju.

He received a life prison sentence, while his successor as president, Roh Tae-woo, was sentenced to 17 years in prison on the same charges.

Both men were pardoned and released in December 1997 by the then newly elected president, Kim Dae-jung, as a gesture of national reconciliation.

Last week his son was arrested on charges of evading tax on $14m which Chun Jae-yong has said he inherited from his maternal grandfather.

Prosecutors have said at least $6m came from his father.


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Related to this story:
Political scandal dogs South Korea (02 Dec 03  |  Asia-Pacific )
Flashback: The Kwangju massacre (17 May 00  |  Asia-Pacific )
Former South Korean presidents freed from jail (22 Dec 97  |  Asia-Pacific )
Country profile: South Korea (06 Nov 03  |  Country profiles )

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