The Prosecution Retraces Lobby Funds Accounts

The Seoul District Prosecutor`s Office (SDPO), who is reinvestigating `Jin Seung-Hyun Gate` and `Jung Hyun-Joon Gate` focuses its efforts to reveal the flow of the lobby funds, on 19th. The prosecution retraces the key figures` accounts from the beginning based on last year`s investigation records.

A high ranking official of the SDPO said, "The prosecution started the account tracing of the lobby funds again from the beginning. We are tracing the flow of the lobby funds of 1.25 billion won that Jin Seung-Hyun gave to Kim Jae Hwan (former Chairman of MCI Korea), who testified that he gave 50 million won to Rep. Kim Bang-Rim of the New Millennium Democratic Party (NMDP) and lent 40 million won to Jung Sung-Hong, a former economy director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), during last year`s investigation."

Regarding the investigation plan on Kim Eun-Sung, a former Deputy Director of the NIS, the prosecution does not exclude the possibility of investigation. "There is no reason for reinvestigating Kim because the prosecution concluded that he was not a subject of penalty in last year`s investigation. However, if there are new evidences, the prosecution would reinvestigate him."

The prosecution summoned Jin Seung-Hyun and Hur to investigate check numbers. Hur borrowed 150 million won from Jin and paid back to Kim Jae-Hwan, who used the money for lobbying funds.

According to the prosecution, Jin`s father testified, "I received 40 million won from Jung Sung-Hong in lieu of Kim Jae Hwan, who lent the money to Jung."

An official of the prosecution said, "The prosecution could not confirm whether or not Kim Jae-Hwan gave 50 million won to Rep. Kim at his National Assembly office because the visior`s records were not maintained. We are trying to check through other ways."

Seung-Ryun Kim srkim@donga.com