Former South Korean president admits to graft
Updated
The former South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun has joined a line of former leaders hit by scandal. Mr Roh has admitted to receiving money from a man linked to a large bribery network. The revelations have engulfed not only the former president's family, but also South Korea's main opposition party, the Democrats.
Presenter: Brett Cole in Bongha, South Korea
Speaker: Park Song-deuk, Park Kui-young and Lee Deung-kuk, residents of Roh Moo-hyun's village, Bongha
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COLE: The hills behind the home of former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun in the tiny village of Bongha are blackened from fire. Their appearance is a fitting metaphor for the ex-president's diminished reputation. The 63 year old Mr Roh rose to the highest office in South Korea partly because he was perceived as being 'clean' when his predecessors and his rival for the presidency were not.
That has all changed. Last week on his web site under the heading, 'I Apologize', Mr Roh said he requested, received and used money given to him by a businessman.
The former president said he had 'debt to repay'. Korean press reports put the amount of money given to Mr Roh at $US5 million. Mr Roh's nephew-in-law accepted the money on behalf of the ex-president, Mr Roh admitted on his web site. Mr Roh said he knew of the acceptance of the money after he left the presidency.
A resident of Mr Roh's village, Park Song-deuk, is disillusioned in the former president.
PARK SONG-DEUK: Before this incident I though he was a clean president and I respected him. I have changed my mind.
COLE: Mr Roh's birthplace and home is somewhat of a Mecca for tourists. Visitors in months gone by could have walked up to the gates of Mr Roh's home. The ex-president would often greet well wishers. Now the ex-president's security detail keeps tourists and the press away from the house which sits on a hillside slope on about 40,000 square metres of land. The house cost $900,000 Korean won to construct, according to the Korean press. It was finished just before Mr Roh ended his five year presidency in February last year.
Banners strung near Mr Roh's home proclaim that his supporters 'respect and love' the ex-president.
PARK KUI-YOUNG: I still admire him. This kind of incident shows his humanity. He's my hero forever.
COLE: Mr Roh's predecessors Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo went to jail after it was revealed they had accepted bribes. Former South Korean Presidents Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung had sons who went to jail for accepting money from people who sought to influence presidential decision making.
LEE DEUNG-KUK: Roh Moo-hyun must be the same as other presidents. Who doesn't like money?
