South Korean businessman Tongsun Park, who was accused in the 1970s of trying to buy influence in Congress in the "Koreagate" scandal, was sentenced to five years in prison for accepting at least $2 million to work on Iraq's behalf to influence the U.N. oil-for-food program.Park was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denny Chin for his conviction seven months ago on conspiracy charges. A jury had rejected his claims that he was a middleman representing the U.N.'s interests in relieving the pain of Iraqis under Saddam Hussein. The judge called it a "harsh" sentence for a 71-year-old man in poor health but said it was reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances. "You acted out of greed, acted to profit out of what was supposed to be a humanitarian program," the judge said.
Park said he didn't want to speak in court. His lawyer noted his client's age, poor health and desire to get his life back on track. Park's health problems include diabetes, high blood pressure and a kidney transplant.
He was indicted in the 1970s in the Koreagate scandal — in which agents of the Korean government were accused of trying to buy influence in Congress — but the charges were dropped. Just before the judge imposed the oil-for-food sentence, he noted that Park had signed a document Nov. 29 agreeing that his misconduct involved more than $2.5 million, that he would not appeal his sentence and that he would be sentenced within a range of four years, nine months to five years, the maximum sentence allowed. Federal prosecutors said at Park's trial in July that he was part of a corrupt group of bureaucrats and oil tycoons who enabled a humanitarian effort to be twisted into a corrupt venture for bureaucrats, oil tycoons and Saddam.