S Korean officials quiz Lee's former business partner

Prosecutors whether South Korean president-elect Lee Myung-bak was involved in a 2001 stocks fraud summoned his former business partner for questioning yesterday.

Kim Gyeong-jun -- charged with rigging share prices among other offenses -- was brought in handcuffs to the investigating team's office in southern Seoul, TV footage showed.

"I am unfairly charged," Yonhap news agency quoted him as telling reporters as justice ministry officials led him inside.

The independent investigation opened last week and is set to wind up just before Lee takes office on Feb. 25. South Korea's first president-elect to face a criminal inquiry, Lee strongly denies wrongdoing.

Kim's for stock manipulation, embezzlement of 38 billion won (US$42 million) and forgery began last week.

Lee any knowledge of stock manipulation and says he was himself a victim of Kim's fraud.

The independent counsel will also investigate whether Lee lied about his wealth and alleged ownership of real estate in an upmarket district of Seoul.

Lee, a former construction executive, promised to revitalize the economy after winning the biggest victory margin in the country's democratic history in the Dec. 19 presidential poll despite the allegations.

State prosecutors early last month had cleared him of involvement in the fraud. But parliamentary opponents of Lee, citing what they termed new video evidence, voted two days before the election to set up the independent probe. Lee has said he expects to be exonerated.

Opponents not expect the inquiry will stop him taking office, but hope any adverse findings will damage his conservative party's prospects in the April general election, according to analysts.

The inquiry can last until Feb. 24 but the independent prosecutor leading the probe must announce before Feb. 14 whether the case is indictable.