Secret Investigation of `Jin`s Lobby Funds for General Election`

The Seoul District Prosecutor`s Office, who is reinvestigating `Jin Seung-Hyun Gate` and `Jung Hyun-Joon Gate` started a secret investigation on alleged lobbying activities that Jin Seung-Hyun, the owner of MCI Korea, provided election funds to the politicians of the ruling and opposition parties before the April 13th parliamentary elections last year, under the initiation of Um Ik-Joon, former Second Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The prosecution said, "The rumor that Jin provided election funds due to his involvement in the NIS has spread from the inspection agencies and Jin`s surroundings. We are trying to figure out the validity of the rumor."

The prosecution might expand the investigation to the `alleged lobbying activities involving politicians and governmental officials in general` if it will find some evidence of Jin`s donation of election funds through future investigation on Kim Jae-Hwan, former Chairman of MCI Korea, and Jung Sung-Hong, a Economy Director of the NIS.

The prosecution also confirmed the fact that Kim Jae-Hwan met Rep. Kim Bang-Rim of the New Millennium Democratic Party in Oct. 2000.

According to the prosecution, "There is a witness who accompanied Kim when he met Rep. Kim. The issues are whether Kim gave money to Rep. Kim or not, and whether or not the money was a form of bribery if he did give money."

In his official explanation report on 15th, Rep. Kim, however, insisted, "I do not know Kim and I have never met him. The prosecution is pursuing `target investigation` with an inappropriate purpose."

The prosecution announced that it is also investigating Hur, former auditor of K bank, whether he received money from Jin`s father for his lobbying activities to help Jin`s financial business. Hur claimed that he borrowed 700 million won from Jin`s father between January and March of 2000.

The prosecution said, "In order to clarity Hur`s contention, we are investigating whether he had actual debt."

Myoung-Gun Lee gun43@donga.com