S Korea prosecutors charge president's brother

South Korean prosecutors said Thursday they have brought graft charges against the brother of President Lee Myung-Bak, following a series of corruption scandals involving the leader's aides. Prosecutors said Lee Sang-Deuk, 76, would stand trial on charges of taking 600 million won ($523,000) from two troubled savings banks and 157 million won from a textile company, prosecutors said. It is the first time in South Korea's history that a brother of an incumbent president has been arrested. The former lawmaker was arrested and detained earlier this month for helping the chairmen of the banks avoid auditing measures and punishment. The previous day angry bank depositors had hurled eggs at him when he arrived at court for questioning. Lee Sang-Deuk was seen as the main contributor to his brother's election victory in 2007, playing the role of a troubleshooter behind the scenes. But critics said he tried to wield too much influence over state affairs once his brother came to power. Several of the president's closest aides, including a former top communications official, have been arrested on graft charges. On Tuesday prosecutors arrested two of Lee's former aides on suspicion of taking bribes from troubled banks in exchange for assistance, just hours after the president apologised to the nation. The incidents have tarnished the conservative leader's image in the last year of his five-year term. A presidential election will be held in December but Lee is constitutionally barred from seeking a second term. Analysts said the graft cases would have only a limited effect on the electoral fortunes of his New Frontier Party. Lee's three immediate presidential predecessors -- Roh Moo-Hyun, Kim Dae-Jung and Kim Young-Sam -- were also tarnished by the wrongdoing of close relatives.