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Former South Korean President Lee appeals corruption verdict

By Wooyoung Lee
Former President Lee Myung-bak arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on Sept. 6, 2018, to stand trial on corruption charges. Photo by Yonhap
Former President Lee Myung-bak arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on Sept. 6, 2018, to stand trial on corruption charges. Photo by Yonhap

SEOUL, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has appealed a court sentence of 15 years in prison for corruption, according to his lawyer, South Korean media reported.

The Seoul Central District Court found Lee guilty of multiple corruption charges last week and also issued a fine of $11 million, making him the fourth South Korean president to stand trial for corruption and other criminal offenses.

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The court also said Lee holds effective control of the controversial auto parts manufacturing company DAS, which Lee has long been associated with.

The court said Lee embezzled a total of $22 million in slush funds from DAS. Lee also took bribes of $5 million from Samsung, in exchange for a presidential pardon for Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee. The money was paid by Samsung to cover DAS' lawsuit in the U.S.

"Lee decided to appeal against all the convictions announced in the first round of trial," Lee's lawyer Kang Hoon was quoted as saying in a Yonhap News report.

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye was also sentenced to a total 32 years in prison for corruption and power abuse.

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