Choi Do-sul Received One Billion Won from SK

The investigation headquarters of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office (Chief Public Prosecutor, Ahn Dae-hee) announced that they will restrain and investigate Choi Do-sul, the former Presidential Secretary in general affairs, after finding evidence of him taking one billion won from SK after the presidential election last year and using some of it for private purposes.

However, the prosecution said, “SK gave the money to Mr. Choi individually therefore, it has nothing to do with President Roh Mu-hyun; It was not even money used to celebrate his winning of the election.”

The prosecution also suspects that Rep. Choi Don-ung of the opposition Grand National Party received a few billion won from SK Group Chairman Son Kil-seung last year before the presidential election, while he was a chairman of a finance committee of the Grand National Party. Mr. Choi obtained the money with favoritism toward SK and used some of the money for his own purposes.

The prosecution is now considering summoning Mr. Choi on October 10 and giving him a criminal punishment for bribery.

Also, the prosecution suspects that Rep. Lee Sang-su of United New Party of Participatory Citizens of hiding money. Mr. Lee was provided about seven billion won from SK last year before the presidential election while he was a secretary general of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), under the name of supporting money. However, the prosecution suspects that he skipped the accounting part and is now tracking the money.

The prosecution will decide the degree of punishment for Mr. Lee, who will be summoned on October 14 after clarifying the use of the money.

The prosecution is also going to launch the investigation of Kwun No-gap, the former adviser of MDP, on borrowing 10 billion won from two acquaintances and delivering it to Mr. Lee during the general election in 2000. The prosecution will also summon Rep. Kim Ok-du who was the secretary general of MDP at that time.

The prosecution said, “The money SK provided to the Government Party and the Opposition Party was more than 10 billion won.”

The prosecution will summon Mr. Son at any time on demand and will decide on the degree of the criminal punishment. The prosecution will also launch the investigation of Choi Tae-won, the chairman of SK Corporation, as a reference on whether he knew about the bribery.

Wi-Yong Jung viyonz@donga.com