Prosecutors Indict 4 More Lawmakers

A team of prosecutors investigating alleged violations of the election law by candidates of the April 2008 general elections indicted four winners of the parliamentary elections, including Pro-Park Alliance Chairman Suh Chung-won.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office prosecuted Suh, Kim Noh-sik (currently imprisoned), Yang Jeong-rye, and Yang’s mother Kim Soon-ae for receiving or giving bribes in exchange for a proportional representation candidacy.

The Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office also booked independent lawmaker Kang Un-tae without physical detention on charges of allegedly giving 5 million won to a 52-year-old man, only identified as Seo, in return for attracting his supporters in a restaurant in Juwol-dong, Gwangju on Feb. 18, 2008.

The Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office plans to charge three Grand National Party lawmakers – Koo Bon-chul (Bupyeong-eul), Cho Jin-hyeong (Bupyeong-gap), and Cho Jeon-hyeok (Namdong-eul) – for breaching the election law early next month.

The Bucheon branch of the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office has also decided to indict the GNP proportional lawmaker Lim Doo-sung for failing to notify his criminal records to the National Election Commission.

As of Friday, the number of newly-elected lawmakers that prosecutors have indicted or plan to indict has reached 14. A total of 91 incumbent lawmakers have been investigated by prosecutors.

needjung@donga.com