Court issues arrest warrant for former PM

SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- A local court on Wednesday issued a warrant for the
arrest of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, who is suspected of receiving a
large sum of money from a corrupt business executive, court and prosecution
officials said.

The arrest warrant comes as Han has repeatedly refused to appear before
prosecutors to face questioning about an allegation that she received US$50,000
from Kwak Young-wook, a former CEO of Korea Express, while serving as prime
minister in 2007.
The 65-year-old Han, who served as prime minister under the Roh Moo-hyun
administration from April 2006 to March 2007, is now a senior adviser to the main
opposition Democratic Party.
Han has defied prosecutors' summons, arguing the investigation is politically
motivated and illegal. The allegation, first reported by a local newspaper last
week, accuses Han of helping Kwak move to the top post of a state-owned
corporation in 2007 in return for the dollars. Kwak is now under arrest on
embezzlement charges.
"Investigators have secured Kwak's confession and relevant testimony from others
regarding the circumstances leading to the payment of the bribe to Han. But they
still need to question her for a fair exercise of the investigation right, as
well as for her right to defend herself," said a prosecutor at the Seoul Central
District Prosecutors' Office.
(END)