Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak was arrested and jailed early Friday on multiple corruption charges, including bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.
The Seoul Central District Court approved the arrest warrant based on serious allegations of crime and the possibility that the ex-president may attempt to destroy evidence.
Prosecutors accuse Lee of taking up to 11 billion won (USD $10 million) in bribes from his intelligence agency and other business groups, including Samsung.
Lee's arrest adds to the recent series of disgraced leaders encountering corruption scandals after leaving office. Lee was previously investigated in connection with a 2001 fraud probe, which he has denied any wrongdoing.
The warrant will allow prosecutors to detain Lee for up to 20 days before formally charging him.
(Published by the Jurist, March 22, 2018)