Former Senior Secretary Lee Ki-Ho Will Be Summoned Today

Special Prosecutor Cha Jeong-Il set for the investigation on the suspicion that Kim Hyung-Yoon, former Economic Director of National Intelligence Service, protested against the investigation on Lee Yong-Ho and asked a favor from Lee Geun-Young, former Commissioner of the Financial Supervisory Commission, in relation to the Lee Yong-Ho case.

The Special Prosecution team (SP) will also summon at 10 am on Feb. 5th the former senior secretary to the President, Lee Ki-Ho, who arranged Lee Hyung-Taek, former executive of Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation, to meet with former second deputy director of NIS, the late Um Ik-Joon.

SP called Lee Yong-Ho and former director Kim H.Y. to question under what circumstances they participated in the dinner meeting with then Prosecutor General Shin Seung-Hwan and former Economy Minister Lee Heon-Jae when they were restricted from leaving the country in August last year.

SP is grilling particularly whether Lee Yong-Ho wired 66.66 million won to Shin Seung-Hwan, the brother of former Prosecutor General Shin S.N., and sent former director Kim H.T. to pressure them to end the investigations by the Financial Supervisory Commission and the Supreme Prosecutors Office.

Lee Yong-Ho reportedly testified that "I heard that Kim H.T. appealed to Commissioner Lee Geun-Young and asked a favor from him for me. But I don`t recollect whether I attended the dinner meeting."

Therefore, SP will carry out a letter investigation or summoned investigation on the persons who were at the dinner meeting to clarify suspicions about Kim H.T.`s lobby and his pressure to end the investigation.

SP will also call Lee Hyung-Taek and examine whether he discussed the countermeasures on the Prosecution`s investigation and exerted an influence on the investigation after Lee Yong-Ho was arrested in September last year.

Meanwhile, SP detected some evidence that Prof. Kim (45, accounting, audit committee member of FSC) and her secretary Ms. Hong (31) helped Kim Young-Joon, former owner of Daeyang Financing and Trust Co., (arrested) to run away.

However, Prof. Kim denied the suspicion saying, "I did not help Kim Young-Joon with his hideout nor hide evidences."

SP arrested and indicted Mr. Kim Young-Joon for the charge of incurring losses of 30.2 billion won to KEP Electronics through illegal stock transaction.

SP decided to apply for the extension of the investigation period for 30 days by the completion of the first investigation period (60 days) on 8th.

Wi-Yong Jung viyonz@donga.com · myzodan@donga.com