A son of President Kim Young-sam was arrested on bribery and tax evasion charges Saturday, humiliating his father, who had made fighting corruption a theme of his presidency.
Kim was quick to apologize for his son's alleged wrongdoing and urged the nation to put the scandal behind it so as to focus on other national problems, such as an economic slump and relations with rival North Korea.But this was an election year, and opposition parties vowed to reveal more corruption in the government. Among other accusations, they claim Kim had condoned his son's alleged corrupt deals with businessmen.
Kim Hyun-chul, 37, the president's second son, was accused of taking $3.6 million in bribes from two businessmen seeking government contracts and licenses and his influence in a court case over a stock dispute.
He also allegedly took $3.7 million in cash from four businessmen and laundered the money to evade $1.5 million in taxes. Prosecutors say they do not yet have evidence that those payments were bribes.
Prosecutors say he may have hidden as much as $16.3 million in more than 100 secret bank accounts - a practice outlawed by his father's government. By Saturday, they could account for only $7.3 million of the money.
The case has been humiliating for President Kim, a longtime opposition leader who came to office pledging to eliminate corruption. His government jailed hundreds of government officials and others for bribery.