Son of S. Korean Leader Held on Bribery Charges

SEOUL —  President Kim Young Sam’s son 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 is an election year, and opposition parties vowed to uncover more corruption in the government. Among other accusations, they claim that Kim had condoned his son’s alleged corrupt deals with businessmen.

Kim Hyon Chol, 37, the president’s second son, was accused of taking $3.5 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 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 more than $16 million in more than 100 secret bank accounts--a practice outlawed by his father’s government.

The case has been humiliating for the president, a longtime opposition leader who came to office pledging to eliminate corruption. His government jailed hundreds of government officials and others for corruption.

No close relatives of an incumbent South Korean president had ever faced criminal charges.

“The president expresses deep regrets and apology for this incident that has deeply shocked and disappointed hard-working people,” said his spokesman, Yoon Yeo Joon.

The younger Kim held no government post. But the president reportedly had deep trust in his second son, who helped engineer his 1992 election.