Shin Seung-Nam, Kim Dae-Woong to be Summoned Today

Prosecutors decided to call in Shin Seungnam, former prosecutor general, this morning for questioning the allegation that he leaked the investigative information to Kim Hong-up, vice chairman of the Peace Foundation for the Asia-Pacific Region and Lee Soo-dong, former executive director of the foundation.

They will also summon Kim Dae-Woong, chief prosecutor at the Gwangju High Public Prosecutors` Office, again for his alleged involvement in the information leak.

After noticing Shin and Kim of the summoning on the 5th, prosecutors did not hear from Shin while Kim expressed his intention to appear.

Earlier, the prosecution secured evidence that the former top prosecutor exercised undue pressure on the investigation into the bribe case involving Pyeongchang construction company in May last year and summoned a high-ranking official who was in charge of the case.

The prosecution is expected to grill Shin on whether he leaked the information to Hong-up as to the progress of the prosecution`s probe into the financial fraud case involving Saehan Group, whether he exercised undue pressure on the bribery case involving Pyeongchang construction company in May last year, and whether he tipped off Lee Soo-Dong to the investigative information in November last year.

But Shin denied the allegations against him, saying that he has never been asked a favor from Hong-up and never exercised undue influence on any investigation.

Shin quit as the nation`s top prosecutor in January this year after his brother was found to have been involved in the `Lee Yong-ho` gate.

Kim Dae-Woon also denied his purported involvement, saying, "I have called Lee Soo-Dong but I was not in the position to leak investigative information."

Meanwhile, the prosecution summoned Lee Soo-Yong, former Naval Chief of Operation for the allegation that he asked a favor of Lee Soo-Dong, but sent him back since no criminal suspicion was discovered.

Prosecutors also called in a senior official of the National Tax Service (NTS) for questioning on suspicion that he shielded a restaurant franchise from a tax audit at the request of Ahn Jung-Nam, former NTS commissioner.

Wi-Yong Jung viyonz@donga.com