Prosecutors Also Investigating the Presidential Election Campaign Funds of President Roh

Ahn Dae-hee, a senior prosecutor investigating the SK slush fund scandal, announced on October 28 that he had requested data related with the suspicions of accounting books to conceal illegal political funds during the presidential election campaign from the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP)

The prosecution source said, “An investigation will be launched when adequate evidence is provided.”

The prosecution’s motive to investigate MDP campaign funds is to cause a sensation in the sense of aiming at the presidential election funds of President Roh Moo-hyun.

In regards to this, the prosecution will summon the MDP’s former finance official, Lee Hwa-young (the senior manger of Uri party’s formation), on Wednesday.

The prosecutors will probe into Lee who, as MDP lawmaker Kim Kyung-jae alleged, had the party draw up double ledgers to keep it secret and took 7.5 billion won from five companies: SK, Samsung, LG, Hyundai Motors, and Lotte, during the presidential election campaign period.

The prosecution source said, “Lee Sang-soo, who headed the MDP`s presidential election campaign headquarters, gave some receipts of the backing funds to approve of the legal funds from companies not including SK.”

It was known that the prosecutors were considering summoning Kim Kyung-jae and will investigate how the MDP had drawn up double ledgers to keep it secret.

The prosecution plans to prohibit Kim Young-iel, who served as GNP’s secretary general, from leaving the country and investigate whether the GNP’s lawmaker, Choi Dong-woong, received 10 billion won from SK Group

The prosecution took GNP former finance director Lee Jae-hyun into custody following intense questioning for failing to include the 10 billion won he received from GNP lawmaker Choi Don-woong in the books.

Prosecutors will focus on whether the GNP’s former leader, Lee Hoi-chang, and former chairman Suh Chung-won were aware or involved in taking the money.

Meanwhile, prosecutors are debating whether or not they will ask for a warrant for Lee’s arrest on suspicion of violation against the election campaign fund regulation law.

According to the prosecution, Lee received 10 billion won from the Choi Don-woong, but he did not deal with the funds legally to use for informal presidential election funds.

However, now Lee denied the remark where he used 10 billion won or whether there was a conspiracy of the central party.

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