Wrapping up a months-long investigation into alleged corruption involving aides of President Roh Moo-hyun, the prosecution said Monday that it has indicted three former presidential aides on bribery charges.

It said five others, including Roh's confidants and businessmen, were also indicted for providing illegal funds to members of the Roh Moo-hyun circle and for evading taxes.

The prosecution alleged that Choi Do-sul, already accused of receiving 1.1 billion won (US$930,000) in illegal corporate kickbacks during last December's presidential election campaign, embezzled 5.45 million won in presidential campaign funds and also took additional funds, estimated at 680 million won, illegally from several Busan-based companies.

Choi and two other key former aides, Ahn Hee-jung and Lee Kwang-jae, were indicted on bribery charges.

Ahn is charged with having received 18.4 billion won in illegal money from Kang Geum-won, a close friend of Roh.

Prosecutors also said that 1.9 billion won paid by Kang to purchase real estate from the head of a Roh Moo-hyun support group was actually a "free loan", tantamount to an illegal political donation, as the proceeds of the land sale was used to pay off debts owed by a mineral water firm originally established by Roh.