To Summon Rep. Kim Hong-Il`s Assistant to Investigate Jin`s Political Lobby

The Seoul District Prosecution, which is re-investigating the `Jin Seung-Hyun Gate`, sought an arrest warrant against the former deputy director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Kim Eun-Sung yesterday. Kim was charged with having received 50 million won in bribes from Jin Seung-Hyun, the owner of MCI Korea, and to help him during his flight.

A high ranking official of the prosecution hinted that the prosecution would investigate Jin`s political lobby in full scale, saying "the prosecution cannot continue to delay the summon of Rep. Kim Hong-Il`s assistant and Rep. Kim Bang-Rim."

According to the prosecution, the former deputy director of the NIS Kim met with the former economy director of the NIS Chung Sung-Hong along with Jin at a Chinese restaurant at M hotel in Kangnam, Seoul, and received 500 checks for 100,000 won from Jin through Chung along with the favor to `quell the investigation of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) regarding the taking over of the Hans Merchant Banking Corporation`.

The former deputy director of the NIS Kim visited Jin last October, who was hiding in a one-room apartment in Kangnam, Seoul, and told him "to wait for a little longer since [Kim] is making efforts." Kim met with Jin four times and informed him about the FSS inquiry as well as investigation.

An official of the prosecusion said, "It was revealed that the former deputy director of the NIS Kim met with a former employee of the NIS Kim Jae-Hwan, who was hired by Jin, and Chung many times at the secret office of the NIS in Yangjae-dong, Suhcho-ku, Seoul, to discuss countermeasures."

The prosecution said that the former deputy director Kim insisted that although he "met with Jin a few times, he did not help Jin to escape, but recommended self-surrender."

Along with this, the prosecution announced that it would continue to investigate the flow of funds surrounding the former deputy director Kim, saying"although Jin testified that he `gave 200 million won worth of cash to the former deputy director Kim following the Chung`s request, besides 50 million won` Chung insisted that he spent the money by himself."

However, while avoiding a clear explanation regarding the fact that the former deputy director Kim visited the Prosecutor General`s Office with Kim [Jae-Hwan] and met with two executive members last September, the prosecution said, "The former deputy director Kim stands firm for his insistence that he tried to find out about Jin whom he thought of a potential son-in-law, and Jin testified that he `did not know why he went there`."

Seung-Ryun Kim srkim@donga.com