Prosecutors seek freeze on ex-President Lee's assets

SEOUL, April 10 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Tuesday requested a freeze on former President Lee Myung-bak's assets one day after he was indicted for corruption.

The prosecution filed the request with a Seoul court, seeking to ban him from disposing of his house, industrial land and other properties worth 11.1 billion won (US$10.4 million), the same as the amount of bribes he is accused of receiving mostly from the spy agency and businesses.

Lee, president from 2008-2013, was arrested last month and indicted Monday on 16 charges involving bribery, abuse of power and embezzlement. He is South Korea's fourth former president to be arrested and put on trial for corruption.

He has been accused of taking bribes totaling about 11.1 billion won, including 700 million won from the state intelligence service and $5.85 million in lawsuit expenses paid by Samsung Electronics on behalf of a car parts firm Lee is suspected of owning.

Other bribes Lee has been accused of receiving include 2.25 billion won from Lee Pal-seung, a former chief of Woori Finance Holdings Co.; 500 million won from Daebo Group, a Seoul-based operator of expressway rest stops; and 400 million won from former lawmaker Kim So-nam.

Prosecutors have also concluded that Lee is the real owner of the car parts firm, DAS. Lee is suspected of embezzling about 35 billion won ($32 million) from the company and using the money for political and personal purposes.
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