Prosecutors have been trying for over a decade to recover tens of millions of dollars corruptly amassed by Roh Tae Woo and his predecessor Chun Doo Hwan.

Roh, a former army general, helped Chun seize power through a 1979 coup after President Park Chung Hee was assassinated. Roh succeeded Chun as president in 1988.

In 1996, Chun and Roh were found guilty of treason and corruption and jailed, before being amnestied less than two years later. They were also ordered to repay illegal donations they had stashed away while in office.

Roh was ordered to forfeit 262.9 billion won (S$394.8 million) and prosecutors have collected about 80 per cent of this.

Last year Roh told prosecutors that his nephew Roh Ho Sun had spent some 12 billion won from the fund on buying land.

To avoid a court order to forfeit the sum, the nephew allegedly forged documents to sell the land at half the market price to a firm he owned. He was indicted for embezzlement and forgery of documents.

Chun was ordered to repay 220 billion won but has repaid only 53.3 billion won. He insists he is now penniless but prosecutors suspect he may have hidden some of the cash with the help of relatives or acquaintances. -- AFP