Seoul, December 18: South Korean prosecutors Friday arrested a former liberal prime minister for questioning over allegations that she took a bribe from a businessman seeking a state job.
Han Myeong-Sook had refused to appear voluntarily before prosecutors. She denies the allegations and says the probe is politically motivated under the current conservative government.
Prosecutors said Han was held at the Seoul office of a foundation commemorating late president Roh Moo-Hyun and would be released after questioning.
She served from 2006-2007 as prime minister under Roh, who killed himself in May by jumping off a cliff after being questioned about payments to other family members in a corruption probe.
Han, 65, is suspected of receiving 50,000 dollars from businessman Kwak Young-Wook to secure a top post for him in the state-owned power firm. Kwak is under arrest on embezzlement charges.
Han is now a senior adviser to the main opposition Democratic Party.
The arrest comes amid growing political tensions over a huge waterways improvement project pushed by President Lee Myung-Bak to reduce flooding and drought.
Opposition lawmakers occupied a parliamentary hall Thursday for a sit-in with a banner opposing the project, a major plank of the government’s “Green New Deal” to create jobs and lay the groundwork for further economic growth.
The project will cost 22.2 trillion won (18.7 billion dollars) by 2012.
Lee has described the four-river project as an “important milestone” to combat pollution, ease water shortages, handle water resources effectively and create leisure facilities.
The opposition has said it would cause South Korea’s fiscal breakdown. Environmentalists have raised concerns over water contamination and disruption of the ecosystem.
—Agencies