Kang Keum-won, Changshin Textiles chairman and a close associate and supporter of late former President Roh Moo-hyun, died late Thursday.

The 60-year-old self-made businessman had been fighting against a brain tumor.

Kang, a graduate of Hanyang University’s textile engineering program, founded Changshin Textiles in 1975 and relocated the company to Busan five years later, establishing the basis of his fortune.

Kang had been a long-time supporter of Roh, beginning with campaign donations in 1998 when the former president ran in the by-election for Jongro-gu’s National Assembly seat.

Kang also declared his support for Roh when the former human rights lawyer entered the parliamentary seat in the 2000 general elections for a Busan constituency.

Kang has also had run-ins with the law in recent years.

In 2003 he was given a four-year suspended sentence in relation to an illegal presidential campaign fund investigation. He was pardoned in 2006, but was again arrested in April 2009 for irregularities in operating his company’s funds. He was released on May 26, 2009, three days after Roh committed suicide.

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)