Investigation on 7-8 Prosecutors through Letters

Special Prosecutor Cha Jeong-Il decided to send letters of investigation to 7-8 prosecutors who are suspected among about 10 prosecutors whose names are listed in Mr. Shin Seung-Hwan`s memorandum.

The Special Prosecution will summon prosecutor L who allegedly leaked the information on the investigation of Mr. Lee to Mr. Shin, and prosecutor K and J who received 1 million won of farewell money respectively from Mr. Shin right after the letter investigation was completed.

The Special Prosecution also decided to summon Kim Hyung-Yoon (imprisoned), former economic director of the National Intelligence Service, who allegedly arranged a meeting with Mr. Lee on behalf of the imprisoned financial broker Hur Ok-Seok, who is implicated in the charge of obtaining marginal profits from overseas convertible bonds (CB) by using unreleased information and operated the information channel in relation to the treasure ship project for the SamaeIndus, which is an affiliated business of Mr. Lee.

Previously, it had been known that it was Mr. Hur, an acquaintance of Mr. Lee, who arranged Mr. Lee to meet Mr. Kim.

The Special Prosecution will investigate the circumstances that Mr. Kim introduced Mr. Hur to Mr. Lee and whether Mr. Kim is involved in Mr. Lee`s lobby fund raising.

The Special Prosecution disclosed, "The Prosecution is making a chart illustrating the numbers, dates, and the characteristics of the contacts with about 10 prosecutors who Mr. Shin met since May 3rd, among many other former and incumbent prosecutors listed in Mr. Shin`s memorandum."

The Special Prosecution is also planning to compare the Mr. Shin`s list with the prosecutors who took charge of the cases related with Mr. Lee.

The Special Prosecution will also summon Lee Hyung-Taek, the managing director of the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation who is the President`s nephew-in-law, known to have arranged the meeting with Mr. Lee and a Mr. Oh, who is in the treasure ship business.

myzodan@donga.com