Roh's Woes Continue

Life never seems to get any better for embattled South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun. Legislators last week overturned a presidential veto he had used to block an independent investigation into corruption allegations against three of his former aides. It's the first time in 49 years that a veto has been reversed, and it leaves Roh fighting for his political life. "It's going to hurt a great deal," says Yoo Jay Kun, a lawmaker with Our Open Party, a group of legislators loyal to Roh. Targets of the investigation include Choi Do Sul, a Roh aide arrested in October on charges of taking $915,000 in bribes from the SK Group, and two other ex-aides accused of accepting bribes and illegal campaign donations. Roh, who took office just 10 months ago promising to crack down on corruption, has not been implicated in the scandals, but damaging new revelations could cripple Roh administration backers' chances of winning a majority in the National Assembly elections next April. Worse, opposing lawmakers say they'll try to have Roh impeached if scandals are linked directly to him.