Probe on Interference of Kim Hong-Gul on Sports Lottery

The special investigative office (chief prosecutor Cha Dong-Min) of the Seoul District Prosecutor`s Office disclosed on April 28 that it will re-summon CEO of Tiger Pools International Song Jae-Bin on April 30 to inquire him about whether he lobbied the third son of President Kim Dae-Jung, Hong-Gul, and CEO of Future City Environment Choi Kyu-Sun so that TPI could be selected as the sports lottery operator.

In addition, the prosecution will also call in related persons of the Seoul Olympic Sports Promotion Foundation (SOSPF) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) that selected TPI as the operator on February last year to probe whether outsiders wielded influence on the selection.

The prosecution said, `We are also going to investigate whether Mr.Choi purchased several tens of thousands shares of TPI on reasonable prices, or 1.5 billion Won received from Mr. Song is a kickback in return for business lobby.`

The prosecution is scheduled to inquire related persons of SOSPF about whether the investigation of the three subordinates of former director of the special investigation division of the National Police Agency (NPA) Choi Seong-Kyu, immediately before the selection of the operator, on the inspection result of TPI affected the operator selection decision.

The prosecution will also summon a brother-in-law of Hong-Gul, Hwang In-Don (36-year-old), at 10 A.M. on April 29. Mr. Hwang actually admitted relaying the money of Choi to Hong-Gul and stated the real owner of TPI stocks purchased through Mr. Choi on April last year is Hong-Gul,.

In addition to this, the prosecution decided to summon Rep. Sul Hoon of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) on May 2. Rep. Sul have claimed, `Mr. Choi gave money to Rep. Yoon Yeo-Joon asking to relay the money to former Grand National Party (GNP) president Lee Hoi-Chang.`

The prosecution has summoned related persons of an affiliate of POSCO and officials of related companies, who purchased 200 thousand shares of TPI, to inquire whether they purchased the stocks more expensively than the market prices by lobbying of Mr. Choi.

The persecution said, `The criminal evidence against presidents or others of the related companies are not revealed so far, but embezzlement charge can be filed if the stocks are purchased at higher price than the market value.`

Myoung-Gun Lee gun43@donga.com