Vice Minister Shin May Be Summoned Today

The Seoul District Prosecution will summon former Vice Minister Shin on 16th to investigate whether he received the bribe of 100 million won from Mr. Jin Seung-Hyun, the owner of MCI Korea.

The Prosecution also revealed that it had requested for an arrest warrant of Choi Taek-Gwon, former party`s staff of the New Millennium Democratic Party, who is suspected to received 140 million won as a lobbyist fund, including 100 million won from Mr. Jin.

The Prosecutors Office hinted that it had examined the circumstances and the evidences to prove the "money delivery," saying that it is "investigating the case on the assumption that former Vice Minister Shin will deny the bribe taking from Mr. Choi."

A high ranking official of the Seoul District Prosecution said that the Prosecution had a testimony from Mr. Jin saying that, "When I met Vice Minister Shin, then Senior Secretary to the President, with Mr. Choi, I thought that he received the money."

The Prosecutors official explained that Mr. Jin had such an `intuition` because former Vice Minister Shin very warmly welcomed Mr. Jin, a businessman in the age of 20s.

The Prosecution also has a testimony of Mr. Choi that when he had lunch with former Vice Minister Shin at a P Japanese restaurant, Mr. Jin sit with them.

Mr. Choi who appeared in the Prosecutors Office at the night of 13th,, according to the Prosecution, strongly denied the suspicion saying that, "I received about 40-50 million won for activities from Mr. Jin for 7 months, but I have never heard of the lobbyist money 100 million won."

The Prosecutors Office found out that Mr. Choi cashed his checks frequently at C hotel in Seoul last year and pursuing the usage of the money. But the Prosecution said that it has not found any clue related to former Vice Minister Shin. Meanwhile, a related official of the investigation team explained, "The report that states `the Prosecution obtained a list of 10 politicians and government officials who received money from Mr. Jin, is groundless."

Kim Seung-Ryun srkim@donga.com