Two or Three More Politicians to be summoned Within This Week

The Central Investigation Department of Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office, investigating the SK slush fund case, announced yesterday that it plans to summon two or three more politicians, who were allegedly accused of receiving bribes from SK Group, within this week.

The prosecution also plans to release brief investigation reports to the public on how and where they arrested Choi Do-sul, a former presidential secretary who reportedly used 1.1 billion won in bribes from SK Group, by October 24, the due date of the first round of arrest.

The prosecution is slated to summon Choi Don-woong of the opposition Grand National Party for a third round of questioning and investigate his spending of 10 billion won that he accepted from SK Group.

Regarding a Hyundai slush fund scandal, the prosecution has evidence that $30 million (36 billion won) which was transferred to an overseas account of Kwon Roh-kap, a former senior lawmaker of the Millennium Democratic Party, was funded by the American headquarters of Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and has decided to interrogate related individuals, including Kim Choong-sik, a former president of HMM and accountants, on this incident.

However, the investigation is not expected to be smooth sailing in that those involved are now abroad and remittance mostly took place abroad.

The prosecution assumed that Kim had transferred funds, accumulated by the American headquarters of Hyundai Merchant Marine, to Kwon by order of the late Chung Mong-hun, a former Hyundai Asan Chairman. Currently, the prosecution is encouraging these individuals to return home and is asking for cooperation from the related countries for the sake of information.

On August 4 when Chairman Chung Mong-hun committed suicide, the prosecution investigated Park Ki-soo, 54, who served as a chief of HMM American headquarters when Hyundai provided $30 million to Kwon. However, he denied any involvement of this scandal and said, “I am just in charge of human resources management.” Park was the last person Chung met before his suicide and went to the same high school as Chung. Upon closing the investigation of this case, including the process of funding, a way of remittance, and usage of the fund, the prosecution plans to summon Kwon Roh-kap.

Wi-Yong Jung Jin-Kyun Kil viyonz@donga.com leon@donga.com