South Korea prosecutors seek arrest of Lee

SEOUL: Seoul prosecutors said on Monday they are seeking the arrest of former president Lee Myung-bak over corruption allegations, on the grounds he might destroy evidence if not detained.

Lee, the latest of several ex-leaders to be embroiled in a criminal inquiry, is being investigated for multiple cases of bribery amounting to millions of dollars. The 76-year-old, who served from 2008 to 2013, faced a marathon interrogation by prosecutors last week, during which he denied most of the accusations he faced.

The Seoul prosecutors’ office investigating the case said Monday it had officially asked the court to order Lee’s formal arrest.

"Each accusation he faces is a significant offence that requires formal arrest," Yonhap and multiple other media quoted an unidentified senior prosecutor as saying. "We believe that there is a high risk of possible destruction of evidence (if Lee is not taken under custody)," the official said.

The court is expected to make a decision later this week. If it approves the arrest, Lee will be the fourth surviving former South Korean leader to be detained over corruption. The allegations against Lee include claims that the Samsung Group bought a presidential pardon in 2009 for its chairman Lee Kun-hee, who had been convicted of tax evasion and given a suspended jail sentence.

Lee is also accused of accepting millions of dollars from a former CEO of a state-financed banking group for helping him assume the post. He is also accused of receiving $100,000 in off-book funds from the state spy agency and embezzling millions of dollars from an auto parts company he is said to own under the names of his relatives.