Court gives lighter sentence to late president's financial supporter

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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 former presidential secretaries, 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.
Park's arrest led to an investigation by the prosecution into the late president,
his family and close confidants on suspicion of having received money from the
tycoon. Roh took his own life in the midst of the probe in late May, sparking
public criticism that the prosecution was politically motivated and had dealt too
harshly with the former president.
Two former presidential aides to Roh were convicted of receiving bribes from Park
last month.
Jung Sang-moon, former secretary for administrative affairs during Roh's
2003-2008 presidency, was sentenced to six years for accepting 400 million won
from Park and embezzling 1.25 billion won from the coffers of the presidential
office.
The court also sentenced Park Jung-gyu, who served as senior presidential
secretary for civil affairs, to a three and half year imprisonment on charges of
receiving 100 million won worth gift certificates from Park.
brk@yna.co.kr
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