Choi Seong-Kyu Disappeared in New York

Fugitive superintendent Choi Seong-Kyu (52. chief of the special investigation department in the National Police Agency), who is suspected of having ties with `Choi Kyu-Sun Gate, ` disappeared after arriving in America on the 19th(local time) through New York with 6 months` permission of staying.

Hence, it is likely to be more difficult to disclose the suspicions pivoting around him as his stay is extended.

Fugitive superintendent Choi left Jakarta, Indonesia on the 18th, and arrived at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York at 3:20 p.m. on the 19th on a United Airlines flight No. 800 from Hong Kong.

Korean Consulate General in New York requested U.S. authority △ not to permit the entrance of Fugitive Superintendent Choi and △to let him meet Mr. Choi at pass inspection desk, but the requests were rejected, and officials of Korean government didn`t know that he had escaped the airport.

The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) explained to Korean Embassy in Washington DC. through U.S. State Department that it permitted Choi to stay after 3 hours` inspection, as △Interpol was not searching for him, △an arrest warrant was not sought for, and △no suspicion of crime was revealed.

INS explained as above, since the Consulate General in New York requested U.S. through Korean Embassy to confirm how it dealt with fugitive superintendent Choi.

konihong@donga.com