Seoul, Dec 18 - Former South Korean prime minister Han Myeong Sook was arrested Friday on suspicion of having taken a $50,000 bribe from a businessman during her tenure, prosecutors said.

The arrest came after Han allegedly refused to answer two previous summons to appear before the Seoul Central District Court.

Han was suspected of taking bribes for appointing businessman Kwak Young Wook as chief executive of a subsidiary of the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. Kwak has already been detained.

Han rejected the accusations as a political ploy and filed a lawsuit against the state and the prosecution.

The 65-year-old served as prime minister in the administration of former president Roh Moo Hyun from April 2006 to March 2007. (dpa)