Court to decide on arrest warrant for ex-president Lee Myung-bak
The arrest warrant for Lee Myung-bak will be reviewed Thursday.
But the former president accused of corruption... will not be present at the session... Lee claims to have explained himself fully in last week's interrogation.
Park Hee-jun reports.
The Seoul Central District Court said Tuesday that it'll hold a hearing on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. to review whether to issue an arrest warrant for ex-president Lee Myung-bak.
But Lee Myung-bak himself will not be attending the hearing -- only prosecutors and his lawyers will be going.
Lee said through his staff that there is no need to go... since he already explained himself during last week's marathon interrogation.
If he doesn't appear, the court will have to decide without further hearings,... but instead by going over the interrogation records and other evidence from the investigation.
Lee was president of South Korea from 2008 to 2013,... and he's suspected of accepting bribes worth around 10 million U.S. dollars.
He's also accused of using false names to conceal his ownership of the auto parts company DAS,... which he allegedly used to accumulate slush funds worth nearly 30 million dollars.
The former president has been denying almost all of the allegations,... but considering the gravity of the charges and the possibility that he could destroy evidence,... the prosecution explained that there was no option but to seek his arrest.
The court is expected to decide as soon as Thursday night,... whether to issue the warrant.
And if it does,... Lee Myung-bak will be the fourth former South Korean leader to face arrest for corruption.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.
But the former president accused of corruption... will not be present at the session... Lee claims to have explained himself fully in last week's interrogation.
Park Hee-jun reports.
The Seoul Central District Court said Tuesday that it'll hold a hearing on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. to review whether to issue an arrest warrant for ex-president Lee Myung-bak.
But Lee Myung-bak himself will not be attending the hearing -- only prosecutors and his lawyers will be going.
Lee said through his staff that there is no need to go... since he already explained himself during last week's marathon interrogation.
If he doesn't appear, the court will have to decide without further hearings,... but instead by going over the interrogation records and other evidence from the investigation.
Lee was president of South Korea from 2008 to 2013,... and he's suspected of accepting bribes worth around 10 million U.S. dollars.
He's also accused of using false names to conceal his ownership of the auto parts company DAS,... which he allegedly used to accumulate slush funds worth nearly 30 million dollars.
The former president has been denying almost all of the allegations,... but considering the gravity of the charges and the possibility that he could destroy evidence,... the prosecution explained that there was no option but to seek his arrest.
The court is expected to decide as soon as Thursday night,... whether to issue the warrant.
And if it does,... Lee Myung-bak will be the fourth former South Korean leader to face arrest for corruption.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.