Lobby Activity in Political World Involving Mr. Hong gul

The prosecution`s investigation over `Choi Kyu-Sun` is spreading to lobby suspicion towards high ranking officials in politics, taking opportunity from summon of President Kim Dae Jung`s third son, Mr. Hong-gul.

It found clue regarding lobbying activity related to ministries and National Assembly like ministry of Culture and Tourism and Sports Promotion Foundation (SPF), while choosing Sportswear Company.

Hitherto, this scandal is possible to change its feature into `Tiger Pools Gate` that means `lobby scandal of politicians for choosing sport wear company` of `Tiger Pools International (TPI)`.

The whole picture of this issue was `lobby activity towards politicians` which C.E.O of TPI, Mr. Song Jae-bin (arrested) conducted among National Assembly and related ministries in order to be selected as sportswear company, and `leading actors` in such procedure were Mr. Choi and Mr. Hong-gul.

Therefore, many `great actors` following this investigation can be revealed.

From the time when revision of law for National Sports promotion was revised, the suspicion surrounding selection of Sportswear Company has steadily come up.

The revised bill which 55 members of the ruling party and the opposition suggested in July, 1999, was added as new article in `Article 3-2, issue of voting rights for sports promotion`, completely, next to `the article 3`.

They threw themselves into sportswear business.

As a result to close bid for Sportswear Company in October 2000, following this law, Korea Electronic lottery consortium and TPI consortium had close competition and NSP selected TPI in November as prior subject for agreement.

Full scale suspicion arose due to such procedure.

Investigation of SPF found out some problem in TPI technical system and carried out re-investigation, after that, it judged incongruence in January 2001; however, the suspicion increased more when TPI was confirmed as Sportswear Company next month.

There was rumor among the prosecution and near SPF that the ruling party supported electronic lottery consortium but TPI reversed it, displaying `stronger power`.

Name of Mr. Hong-gul also started floating from that moment.

And the rumor related to President`s second son Mr. Hong-up floated, too, as his close person Mr. Ohn was recruited in TPI as high-ranking official.

The prosecution is known to have seized some clue by tracking on bank account and statement of TPI concerned, that lobbing by money was executed towards members of the ruling party and the opposition, their aids, high officials in MCT and executive in SPF, therefore, future investigation is paid attention to.

Soo-Hyung Lee sooh@donga.com