South Korean President Lee Myung-bak yesterday apologized to the nation for what he called heartbreaking corruption cases allegedly involving his elder brother and close aides.
“I bow my head and apologize for causing concern to the people due to these incidents,” a solemn Lee said in brief televised remarks. “It breaks my heart ... that such regrettable things have happened among people so close to me.”
The incidents have tarnished the conservative leader’s image in the last year of his five-year term, although he has not been personally implicated in them.
Photo: AFP
A presidential election will be held in December, but Lee is constitutionally barred from seeking a second term. Analysts said the graft cases would have only a limited effect on the electoral fortunes of his New Frontier Party.
“This wouldn’t have any significant impact on the election, because the party has distanced itself from the president, as if they are not related to each other at all,” said Lee Junhan, a professor at Incheon University.
The president’s elder brother, Lee Sang-deuk, was arrested and detained earlier this month pending a corruption trial.
Prosecutors allege the 76-year-old former lawmaker took 600 million won (US$525,000) from chairmen of two troubled savings banks between 2007 and last year in return for helping them avoid audits and punishment.
Angry bank depositors had hurled eggs at him when he arrived at court the previous day for questioning.
Lee Sang-deuk was seen as the main contributor to his brother’s election victory in 2007, playing the role of a troubleshooter behind the scenes. However, critics said he tried to wield too much influence over state affairs once his brother came to power.
Several of the president’s closest aides, including a former top communications official Choi See-jung, a former vice culture minister Shin Jae-min and an ex-knowledge economy vice minister Park Young-joon, have also been arrested on graft charges.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source