SP Investigates Leaking of NIS Report on Treasure Hunt Project

The Special Prosecution team (SP) led by Cha Jung-Il is considering summoning former Public Prosecutor General Shin Seung-Nam because there is a suspicion that former Senior Executive Director of the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation, Lee Hyung-Taek pressured Shin to suspend the prosecution`s investigation after the Chairman of G&G Group, Lee Yong-Ho was arrested last September 4.

Securing a testimony that Lee Yong-Ho joined the treasure hunt project after acquiring a National Intelligence Service (NIS) report that projected high possibilities for the treasure hunt project, the SP is intensively investigating the circumstances surrounding the leaking of the report.

The SP summoned lawyer Lim Woon-Hi, former lawyer of Lee Yong-Ho, on Saturday to investigate whether Lee Hyung-Taek or Kim Hyung-Yoon (arrested), former Economy Director of the NIS, pressured former Public Prosecutor General Shin to suspend the prosecution`s investigation.

The SP also summoned Lee Yong-Ho and his wife Mrs. Choi to investigate whether Lee Hyung-Taek contacted former Public Prosecutor General Shin last September to pressure Shin by revealing the fact that Lee Yong-Ho had remitted 50 million won to his brother Shin Seung-Whan (arrested).

It was discovered that lawyer Lim has kept Lee Yong-Ho`s wife`s bankbook, which showed the record of remittance, and Lim informed Lee Hyung-Taek about the book.

Lim, however, testified, "I neither showed the bankbook to Lee Hyung-Taek nor gave him a copy of the bankbook. And I have never met Kim Hyung-Yoon."

The SP will probe whether Lee Hyung-Taek ordered Kim to meet former Public Prosecutor General Shin and whether Kim met with Shin.

Responding to these suspicions, Mr. Shin said, "Although I have known Kim as a junior from junior high school, I never saw the bankbook and Kim did not visit my office. And it was impossible to pressure me."

The SP also decided to probe the circumstance surrounding the NIS`s drawing up of the report and whether it was reported to Lee Ki-Ho, former chief presidential secretary of the economy, Chon Yong-Taek, or Lim Dong-Won, former NIS directors, besides Eum Ik-Joon, former second director of the NIS.

As the initial 60-day investigation period will expire on the 8th, the SP plans to request a 30-day extension of the investigation period in the beginning of this week and to announce the interim results of its investigation.

Wi-Yong Jung viyonz@donga.com