Daewoo dissolution and corruption scandal trillion won (US$10.3 billion), and smuggling US$3.2 billion out of the country. On 30 May 2006, Kim was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of fraud and embezzlement. On the last day of the trial, Kim tearfully addressed the court, "I cannot dodge my responsibility of wrongly buttoning up the final button of fate." On 30 December 2007, Kim was granted amnesty by President Roh Moo-hyun. Daewoo dissolution and corruption scandal Daewoo dissolution and corruption scandal refer to the 1999-2006 scandal in South Korea involving the bankruptcy of Daewoo, then-country's second largest company, and a subsequent corruption
Daewoo Motors was launched, the first Daewoo model to be produced in their then new Kunsan motor plant. It was designed by the Italian-based I.DE.A Institute. In March 1997, the mid-sized Leganza followed, also designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, borrowing some styling cues from the existing 1990 Jaguar Kensington concept car. In 1998 one of Daewoo's best known cars was introduced, the Matiz. The design was again signed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and based on his 1992 "Lucciola" concept car, which was initially imagined as a replacement for the Fiat Cinquecento. This car became Daewoo Motor's best-seller for the next four years. In 1999,