14 March 2018•Update: 15 March 2018
By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak appeared for questioning by Seoul prosecutors Wednesday as he faces a series of corruption allegations dating back a decade.
Lee, 76, said he was sorry for "causing concern" as he stood before a bustling crowd of journalists outside the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Media reports have been circulating for weeks on Lee's alleged bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power involving local organizations ranging from the National Intelligence Service to Samsung.
Ahead of Wednesday's interrogation, prosecutors reportedly prepared 100 pages of questions related to the period of Lee's 2008 election victory and subsequent administration.
With Lee condemning the accusations against him as political retaliation, the questioning session was expected to continue into the night.
The ex-president rose to political power after a successful career as chief executive of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co.
He was succeeded as president in 2013 by Park Geun-hye, who has been in custody for months awaiting the conclusion of her own wide-ranging corruption trial.
