South Korea charges another ex-president with corruption

South Korean prosecutors on Monday charged with a series of corruption-related offences including taking millions of dollars in bribes, local media reported.

“Lee, who served as president from 2008 to 2013, has been indicted on 16 counts including bribery, abuse of power and embezzlement,’’ it said.

He has been in pre-trial detention since his arrest in March.

“He is suspected of accepting around 10.4 million dollars in bribes from groups including the country’s own intelligence service.

“As well as from Samsung Electronics, who covered several million dollars in legal expenses for a firm Lee is thought to own,’’ it said.

The news came three days after ex-president Park Geun Hye was sentenced to 24 years in prison on 16-count charges of corruption including abuse of power, bribery and leaking state secrets.

Park held office from 2013 to 2017.

(dpa/NAN)