THEY'RE DONATIONS, SON, NOT BRIBES

Inside a packed Seoul courtroom, former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo took the stand Monday to answer charges that he accepted $369 million in kickbacks from businesses while in office. Roh admitted that he took money from chaebol, the group of 40 or so huge industrial conglomerates that dominate South Korea's economy, but said that he did not sell his influence to private interests. Roh said he received $32 million from Samsung, the nation's biggest conglomerate, but maintained he could not remember who gave him all the money he received while in office. The trial is expected to rock South Korean politics, not only bringing down some top politicians connected to Roh, but also casting the leaders of the country's largest businesses under a cloud of corruption. So far, executives from 36 firms have been questioned by prosecutors, and several are likely to face arrest. If convicted, the 63-year old former president could face life inprisonment.