SOUTH KOREA: PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG APOLOGIZES FOR HIS SON'S WRONGDOINGS AFTER TWO SONS ARRESTED ON BRIBERY CHARGES
Record ID:
640716
SOUTH KOREA: PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG APOLOGIZES FOR HIS SON'S WRONGDOINGS AFTER TWO SONS ARRESTED ON BRIBERY CHARGES
- Title: SOUTH KOREA: PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG APOLOGIZES FOR HIS SON'S WRONGDOINGS AFTER TWO SONS ARRESTED ON BRIBERY CHARGES
- Date: 22nd June 2002
- Summary: (U4) SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (RECENT) (REUTERS) MV PRESIDENT'S YOUNGEST SON KIM HONG-GUL WAKING INTO PROSECUTORS' OFFICE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th July 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA7JZBD4VLULMY4N025CB0L104W
- Story Text: South Korean President Kim Dae-jung has apologised for his sons' wrongdoings after the two sons were arrested for charges of bribery.
South Korea's President Kim Dae-jung apologised to the nation on Friday (June 21, 2002) just minutes after his second son was arrested over an influence-peddling scandal.
The arrest came about a month after Kim's third and youngest son was arrested and detained in the middle of May, accused of receiving more than two million dollars from a lobbyist.
"For the last few months, I have felt bitter responsibility about not being able to take care about my sons properly.
And I feel ashamed and sorry to hurt the Korean people who have supported me," the ageing Kim told in a speech televised to the nation.
"I have gone through many hard times but I have never thought I would experience such a miserable moment. All is due to my carelessness and lack of discretion. I again apologise to the Korean people," Kim added.
The second son Kim Hong-up (pronounced as KIM HONG-EOB) was taken to a Seoul suburb prison, where his younger brother Kim Hong-gul (pronounced as KIM HONG-GEOL) was detained, prosecution officials said.
Prosecutors indicted Hong-gul on June 5 on charges of influence-peddling and tax evasion.
The latest turn in the scandal comes during what should be happy period for the president as World Cup euphoria grips South Korea after the national soccer team reached the quarter finals of the tournament being co-hosted with Japan.
The growing scandal has been a major blow for the 77-year-old president as he completes his last months in office ahead of a presidential election in December.
President Kim, who is constitutionally barred from seeking another term, came into office on a platform of cleaning up politics. The president has apologised for his sons' behaviour.
Hong-up, who is 52 and previously headed his father's non-profit Peace Foundation, has been linked to a scandal involving alleged money-laundering and influence-peddling in business deals. He has denied any wrongdoing.
President Kim is not accused of any misdeeds, but the growing scandal contributed to an opposition rout of his ruling Millennium Democratic Party last week in local elections, which are seen as a dry run for the presidential election.
The ruling party's Secretary General Kim Won-gil has offered to resign due to the party's poor showing in the recent elections, Suh Young-kyo, a spokeswoman for the ruling party said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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