Another former president of South Korea to be tried for corruption

Ex-president of South Korea Lee Myung-bak has been criminally charged, three days after his successor was jailed for corruption and abuse of power
The charges against Lee Myung-bak include receiving illicit funds while president worth 11.1 billion won (£7.4 million) from individuals, companies and the country’s spy agency.

He is also accused of using a car parts maker as a front for accumulating a slush fund worth the equivalent of £23 million.

His other misdeeds include accepting bribes, tax evasion, abuse of power, breach of trust and violation of election laws. He is equally accused of illegally removing 3,402 official documents from the Blue House, the residence of the president. One allegation relates to the presidential pardon granted in 2009 to Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Group, who had been convicted of tax evasion.

Should the former president be convicted of the 16 charges levelled yesterday he faces a potential life sentence.

Mr Lee is the fourth South Korean president to face criminal charges. Every living former leader has now either been convicted, charged or investigated for criminal offences.