Former Security Guard of Cheong Wa Dae Received Stocks of Yoon Tae-Shik Venture

The Seoul District Prosecutors Office, which is investigating the stock lobby of the owner of Pass 21 Yoon Tae-Shik who was arrested for the murder charge of Suzi Kim, summoned the former security guard of Cheong Wa Dae Lee Sung-Chul (44) yesterday. The prosecution is investigating an allegation that Lee received stocks of Pass 21 from Yoon.

The third special division of the Seoul District Prosecutors Office (chief prosecutor Cha Dong-Min) said, "Lee received 200 stocks from Yoon along with Yoon`s asking for a help to introduce the finger print identification system of Pass 21 to the security system of Cheong Wa Dae."

If an allegation is confirmed that a fourth-rate security guard of Cheong Wa Dae received stocks last July, the defect of the security task is likely to create a stir in conjunction with the fact that Yoon visited Cheong Wa Dae and met President Kim Dae-Jung during the Nicaraguan President`s visit last May.

Cheong Wa Dae said, "Lee began to work in Cheong Wa Dae since 1982, and his role was to visit and see the places where President is scheduled to visit in advance. Although he resigned on 27th, he was dismissed on the ground of degradation of official discipline."

Meanwhile, the prosecution decided to request for the arrest warrant against the former venture policy directors of the Small and Medium Business Administration Mr. Suh and Mr. Yang on the charges of having received and kept 400 and 150 stocks from Pass 21, respectively, under other people`s names.

A high-ranking official of the Seoul District Prosecutors Office said, "The venture policy division is the division that bestowed the venture business award to Yoon in 1999. Although the two people are denying their charges, Yoon confessed."

Following the arrestment of the former and the present employees of the Korean National Railroad and Seoul Subway Corporation on the previous day, the prosecution also arrested the director of the Korean National Railroad Mr. Sohn on the charge of having received 200 stocks along with Yoon`s asking for a help to "introduce the fingerprint identification system of Pass 21 to the Railroad charge system." last March.

The police also arrested yesterday two police sergeants Ji and Kim, who investigated Yoon during the secret investigation of the `Suzi Kim case` last March, on the charge of having received 2,100 stock of Pass 21. The prosecution announced that it would investigate whether the two police officers offered the stocks to the higher authorities.

An official of the investigation team said, "Although only the fourth and fifth-rate government officials have been confirmed to have received stocks for lobby as of now, we will make sure whether there are substitute shareholders for the high ranking officials."

Seung-Ryun Kim srkim@donga.com