Former Lawmaker Kim Bong-Ho Is Prohibited from Leaving Country

Special Prosecutor Cha Jeong-il prohibited former lawmaker of the New Millennium Democratic Party Kim Bong-Ho from leaving the country, after learning that 50 million won of Lee Yong-Ho flew into the account of Mr. Kim.

The Special Prosecution team (SP) will summon Mr. Kim soon to investigate the circumstances of the money delivery and whether it was for a reward.

According to SP, Mr. Kim received 50 million won from his friend Mr. Park right before the national election in April 2000 and deposited it in the account under the name of company C and cashed out the money the next day. Previously, the Supreme Prosecutors Office revealed that 50 million won that Mr. Lee gave to Mr. Park was delivered to former lawmaker Kim but judged that the money transaction has nothing to do with the case.

SP learned that the money withdrawn from the bank account under other name was total 260 million won and is investigating on whether other persons had received money through this account.

SP also thinks that Mr. Kim probably invested in the overseas CB fund of SamaeIndus and received the profits of the investment, considering that 20 million won was moved to an account of an affiliate of Lee Yong-Ho from an account related to Mr. Kim.

In response, Mr. Kim explained, "I received 50 million won from a relative Mr. Park a few days before the 16th national election and issued a receipt. After Mr. Lee Yong-Ho was arrested in September last year, Mr. Park informed me that the money was from Lee Yong-Ho. However, I was not solicited by Mr. Park in terms of Mr. Lee. I happened to meet Mr. Lee when I visited the office of Mr. Park in Kangnam in 2000 but has no other connection with him."

With regard to the rumor that he invested money in the fund of Mr. Lee, Mr. Kim explained, "I paid back everything with the money that my daughter borrowed for the election from her classmates. I have never invested in the fund."

Mr. Kim was a chairperson of the supporter`s association of the New Millennium Democratic Party and ran for the Congress as a candidate in the Haenam-Jindo district in the 4.13 national election but lost the election then.

Meanwhile, SP will investigate the former and incumbent prosecutors who are suspected to have connection with the pressure on the investigation by Lee Hyung-Taek, the former executive of Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation during next week.

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