Kim Young-Joon’s Hard Disk Recovered

The Special Prosecution investigation team headed by Cha Jung-Il, which is reinvestigating the `Lee Yong-Ho Gate` succeeded in recovering parts of the data once deleted from the hard disks on 2 computers, which was seized from the house of Kim Young-Joon, the former owner of Daeyang Mutual Savings and Finance Co., Ltd. on the 21st.

The team is closely examining whether the data contains the list of lobby objects in political or governmental circles, lobby details, and the list of investors for the fund of 3 million dollars (3.8 billion won) that Mr. Kim collected to purchase the convertible bond (CB) of SamaeIndus Co.

An official on the Special Prosecution team said, "Many parts deleted by Mr. Kim are being recovered, and the result can be opened as early as on the 22nd."

After the Special Prosecution team completes tracing the accounts of Kim Tae-Jung, the former Justice Minister, and 3 other lawyers who received Mr. Lee in May, 2000, it will likely summon former investigators and lawyers along with Lee Dok-Sun, the former chief prosecutor at the Kunsan branch office of the Jeonju District Public Prosecutor`s Office, and investigate whether there were commissions or protectionist measures taken.

Before the summoning, the special prosecutors` team is examining the related laws if misfeasance or leakage of official secret can be applied to the delay of booking Mr. Lee.

The special prosecutors` team is analyzing the responses to questioning gathered from some of the 7 former and current prosecutors who received documents about their contact with Shin Seung-Hwan brother of the former Prosecutor General Shin Seung-Nam.

The Special Prosecution team is closely comparing the answers with investigation findings from Mr. Shin`s case, and will examine the differences by confronting Mr. Shin with the contradictions.

myzodan@donga.com