Court mitigates prison term for former President Roh's brother

By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court on Wednesday sentenced the elder
brother of late former President Roh Moo-hyun to two and half years in prison and
to pay a 300 million won (US$250,000) restitution for graft and influence
peddling.
A lower court had sentenced Roh Gun-pyeong to a four-year jail term and to
forfeit 570 million won.
The elder Roh was indicted on charges of receiving billions of won in return for
wielding influence in helping a state-run company take over an ailing brokerage
firm in 2006.
Roh Moo-hyun committed suicide at his home in May this year in the midst of a
separate bribery investigation into his family and close aides. He served as
president from 2003-2008.
"This a classic bribery scandal related to power in which the then president's
elder brother exercised his influence on government officials and received a huge
sum of money in return from the company," the Seoul High Court said in a ruling.
"In this case, Roh Gun-pyeong is the key figure and should take heavy
responsibility for it."
The court, however, acknowledged that he was given a heavier sentence because he
was the former president's brother and reduced the prison term.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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