ICT Seized Press Tax Probe Documents

The Independent Counsel Team (ICT), which is re-investigation the `Lee Yong-Ho Gate,` announced yesterday that it seized documents of the press tax probe and of the creation of next government at the house of Lee Soo-Dong, former director of the Kim Dae-Jung Peace Foundation for the Asia-Pacific Region (PFAPR), and it is thoroughly investigating them.

It is not yet confirmed that who made those documents. But, if it is revealed that the PFAPR or of the high ranking officials of the PFAPR are directly involved in the composition of the documents, it will be an evidence that the tax probe into the press was planned and conducted by the core group of the power.

In addition, the ICT also found a clue that Kim Seoug-Hwan, who is close to the President`s second son, Kim Hong-Up, the Vice Chairperson of the PFAPR, has managed huge amount of money under a disguised account and gave 100 million won to Lee Soo-Dong. Tracing their bank accounts, the ICT found more than 1 billion won of a secrete fund and is investigating its source and use.

Ñ The documents of the press reform, creation of the next government, and intervention into the appointments = Announcing its interim investigation outcomes on 9th, the ICT reported that it confiscated several documents in the searching of Lee Soo-Dong`s house. They are a seven-page document that states, “It is urgent to reform the major newspapers to strengthen President Kim`s administration power,” `the plan to reform the local newspapers,` and `the research project to increase the possibility for the creation of the next government.`

The ICT said that it had not confirmed the composers of those documents and could not reveal the details of them.

Regarding Lee`s position and the titles of the documents, the ICT suspects that they might had been composed by the PFAPR or by a group, which is close to the core of the power circle, not by Lee himself.

The ICT is considering whether it will investigate by itself or it will ask the prosecution to investigate those documents providing the information of the composer and the purpose of the composition.

The PFAPR explained that, “We have no relation to those documents at all and do not know anything about them”

The ICT also seized the documents that contains circumstantial evidences that Lee has influenced the appointments of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), army, and police officials and that he has involved in the appointments and licensing of the souvenir shops at the Sangam and other World Cup Stadiums.

Especially, the `CNO management plan` includes the situations of the Navy generals` promotion congestion and of the preponderance of the Youngnam generals, the comparing analysis of the Chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, and the personnel evaluation of the three candidates for the CNO.

The ICT said that Lee argued, “I received this document from the Naval Task Force Commander for his asking my help, but I did not intervened the appointment.”

Ñ Investigation of Lee Soo-Dong`s secret fund = The ICT confirmed that Kim Seong-Hwan has managed a disguised account under the name of a certain Kim, a cleaner. Among 100 million won issued from this account as checks, 13 million won was deposited into Lee`s bank account and 31 million won was deposited into Lee`s wife`s account. The ICT also announced that the officials of the PFAPR had endorsed and used 10 million won among the remaining 56 million won.

Finding another disguised account that has more than 1 billion won, the ICT is investigating whether Lee and Kim Seoun-Hwan have been managed this account.

The ICT also confirmed that a director of the Financial Supervisory Service, identified only by his family name Yoon, ignored his investigation team`s opinion to accuse Lee Yong-Ho during the investigation of Lee`s companies` stock price manipulation at the end of 1999. Yoon was dispatched to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in Nov. 2001 and has been staying in the U.S.

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