Ex-S.Korean President Lee Myung-bak appears at first trial over corruption charges

SEOUL - Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday appeared at the first trial over corruption charges, including bribery and embezzlement.

Dressed in black suit and white shirt, Lee entered the courtroom at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, holding a document envelope on his hand.

Lee, who had served the five-year presidency from early 2008, was taken into custody since March 22 for multiple corruption charges.

The conservative president was charged with taking about 10 million US dollars in bribes and embezzling tens of millions of US dollars in DAS, a local auto parts manufacturer which prosecutors believed is actually owned by Lee under the borrowed name of his brother.

Lee said in a prepared statement, taken from the envelope, that prosecutors' indictment on his charges was excessive, reiterating his claim that DAS belongs to his brother.

He also denied the charge of receiving bribe from Samsung Group, the country's biggest family-run conglomerate, calling it a "shock and insult" to him.

Lee's successor Park Geun-hye, the first South Korean president impeached while in office, was sentenced to 24 years in jail and fined some 17 million US dollars at the first trial over corruption charges.