Prosecution seeks arrest warrant for ex-communications minister

The prosecution`s Central Investigation Bureau on Sunday sought a warrant to arrest former information and communications minister Lee Suk-Chae on charges of abusing official power in the government`s selection of mobile phone service operators in 1996.

Lee was accused of having changed the licensing guidelines and procedures to add ``moral quality`` to qualifications and adopt a ``no-points apportionment method`` in screening in favor of a specific company.

The prosecutors dropped charges that Lee accepted 30 million won from LG Telecom, which won one of the licenses. Issuance of the arrest warrant may be delayed to allow for a detailed review of the charges by court officials.

LG Telecom vice chairman Chung Jang-Ho and other executives were summoned for questioning on the bribery charge. Also called by the prosecution to testify on the relevance of the changed selection method were former vice minister of information and communications Jung Hong-Shik, the ministry`s support bureau director Lee Seong-Hoi and its cooperation department chief Suh Young-Gil.