The Warrant for Kim Eun-Sung Issued for the Charge of Requesting Clemency for Mr. Jin

The Seoul District Prosecution decided on 23rd to issue an arrest warrant for Kim Eun-Sung, the former director of the 2nd division in the National Intelligence Service (NIS). SDP is reinvestigating `Jin Seung-Hyun Gate` and it seized the evidence that Mr. Kim spent the 40 million won, which was given by Jin Seung-Hyun, and that the former director Kim actively interfered in the Mr. Jin case.

Especially the Prosecution verified that Mr. Kim visited high ranking prosecutors to look into the process of investigation on Mr. Jin and requested for help. So the suspicion of the bribery, the misuse of authority, and the concealment of the offender shall be applied to him as his crime is confirmed.

Previously, the Prosecution summoned Mr. Kim on 22nd and grilled him to reveal the circumstance that he spent the 40 million won (400 sheets of 100,000 won check), which Kim Jae-Whan, the former president of MCI Korea gave, and whether he ordered to look into the process of the investigation of the Prosecution on Mr. Jin.

And the Prosecution will summon and investigate current lawmakers who are suspected for receiving money from Mr. Jin like Kim Bang-Rim of the New Millennium Democratic Party as soon as the special session of National Assembly ends on January 12th next year.

But it was reported that the former director Kim had denied every suspicion on his receiving of money and lobby for Mr. Jin till yesterday, saying, "I don`t know Mr. Jin, and didn`t receive any money."

Therefore the Prosecution summoned Jung Sung-Hong, the former chief of economy bureau of NIS, who had been arrested with Mr. Jin, and let Mr. Jin confront with Mr. Kim.

Former chief Jung was reported to have denied the suspicion on Mr. Kim, saying that "I exchanged the 400 sheets of 100,000 won check, which I borrowed from Kim Jae-Whan, with the cash from Mr. Kim."

Meanwhile, the Prosecution arrested and imprisoned Shin Kwang-Ok, the former vice Justice Minister on 22nd for the suspicion (bribery by the law for aggravated special crimes) that when he worked as the Senior Secretary to the President for domestic affairs, he received 18 million won from Mr. Jin through Choi Tae-Kon, the former advisor of NMDP.

And the Prosecution arrested a Mr. Kim, the executive director of Daegu Bank on 23rd, who received 30 million won in January last year from Mr. Jin for helping with taking over Daegu Mutual Saving & Finance Company, which was the Daegu Bank affiliated.

Wi-Yong Jung viyonz@donga.com