Hearing set for warrant on former President Lee

A Seoul court will hold a hearing on Thursday to determine whether to issue a warrant to detain former President Lee Myung-bak, who is accused of a dozen corruption charges, including bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.

The Seoul Central District Court said Tuesday that it would begin the hearing at 10:30 a.m. to judge the legality of his detainment. The court is expected to deliver its decision early Friday.

Prosecutors sought a detention warrant on Monday after a months-long investigation, which the disgraced ex-leader has called political revenge.

Lee’s secretary said he would not attend the court review because “he has fully explained himself to the prosecution during the interrogation.”

Lee was questioned for 21 hours by prosecutors from Wednesday to Thursday last week.

Lee has denied all the allegations, accusing the probe of being political retaliation by the liberal President Moon Jae-in. He has vowed to “fight with the utmost effort to get the truth out in court.”

Yonhap