Investigating Whether Park Joon-Young Is Involved in Bribery Case

The Seoul District Prosecution that is investigating the Yoon Tae-Sik`s lobby case summoned former lawmaker Kim Hyun-Kyu, an inspector of Pass 21 yesterday.

Former lawmaker Kim stopped by the press office in the Seoul District Prosecutors Office before he appeared in the Prosecution and explained, "I met with former Senior Secretary to the President Park Ji-Won twice and explained Pass 21 technology to him, and, by the arrangement of former Senior Secretary to the President Kim Jeong-Gil, I met with Information and Communication Minister Namgoong Seuk, lawmaker of the New Millennium Democratic Party (NMDP), in November 1999."

However, he stated, "You could meet anybody to advertise your excellent technology. Mr. Yoon never met with Senior Secretary Park nor tried lobbying through the political and bureaucratic circles. Therefore, he did not benefit from any kind of subsidies or privileges from the government." The Prosecution also learned that Mr. Yoon visited the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs, Ministry of Information and Communication, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare and held technology demonstrations there with the support of former Minister of Government Information Agency, Park Joon-Young. The Prosecution is investigating whether Mr. Park received stocks or other types of bribery from Pass 21.

Mr. Park Joon-Young met with Mr. Yoon a few times and made arrangements for the employment of his acquaintance in Pass 21 while he was a spokesperson of Cheong Wa Dae and the Minister of Government Information Agency. The Prosecution is planning to indict Mr. Park and Mr. Kim for misfeasance if it is revealed that their support for Pass 21 included any kind of request or pressuring of related government organizations.

The Prosecution is also investigating whether Mr. Yoon lobbied high-ranking officials including Mr. Park for right before he was arrested in November 2001.

The Prosecution is also investigating circumstantial evidence which indicate that Kim Young-Ryol, CEO of the Seoul Economic Daily, and Mr. Yoon asked the former Director General of the National Intelligence Service Lee Jong-Chan to hold a technology demonstration show at the NIS in October 1998.

Former Director General Lee left the country to participate in a forum hosted by the East West Center at Hawaii University on the 10th.

The Prosecution also summoned executive members of the Small and Medium Business Administration and the Small Business Corporation and investigated the circumstances surrounding their invitation of Mr. Yoon to the Cheong Wa Dae event, arranging his meeting with the President, and whether they verified the technology of Pass 21.

In addition, the Prosecution learned that some news reporters accredited to Cheong Wa Dae and the photography reporters of the major daily newspapers obtained stocks from Mr. Yoon for low prices and summoned 2 executive members of the press, including an economic daily newspaper that holds the share in Pass 21.

The Prosecution is also planning to request an arrest warrant for Mr. Park Soon-Hwa, the director of international investment team, who took bribes for investing in company G which gave the technology to Pass 21.

Wi-Yong Jung viyonz@donga.com