Court gives lighter sentence to late president's financial supporter

SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court sentenced a businessman and one-time
financial supporter of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun to a three and half
year prison term on Wednesday, lighter than the four-year imprisonment sought by
the prosecution.
Park Yeon-cha, head of shoemaker Taekwang Industry, was indicted last year on
charges of evading some 29 billion won in taxes and bribing politicians and
government officials, including a former presidential secretary, in return for
business favors.
The court ordered a 30-billion-won (US$24.4 million) fine for Park, the same
amount sought by the prosecution.
brk@yna.co.kr
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