“Complete the Investigation of Corporations Quickly”

Kang Shin-ho, acting chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), visited the supreme public prosecutor’s office in Seocho-dong, Seoul on November 19 and met director Song Kwang-su to make a formal request to bring the presidential campaign fund investigations to a swift end.

Remarkably, this marks the first request the chairman of FKI, which represents large corporations in Korea, has made to the prosecution since the investigation over illegal election funds began.

However, Song responded, “In order to complete the investigations quickly, help from the corporations is vitally needed, but they have not been very cooperative with investigations so far.”

At 3 p.m. this afternoon, accompanied by FKI vice-chairman Hyun Myong-kwan, Kang met with Song for half an hour in Song’s room on the 8th floor of the prosecutor’s office, expressing the anxiety on the part of industry as the investigation becomes more and more prolonged.

Kang insisted during the meeting, “Domestic corporations are losing international confidence because of the investigation into the election funds.” He appealed to Song, “Please wrap up the investigation as soon as possible. Industries will corporate with it.”

Song replied, “The prosecution is also aware that it would be undesirable for a prolonged investigation to have a negative effect on the economy. We need a cooperative attitude in order to investigate the matter as thoroughly as the nation would like. However, we have not yet received (such) cooperation.”

Song added, “Please understand that recent search and seizure actions at corporations, as well as travel restrictions on corporate individuals, were taken based on concrete evidence and reasons.”

In advance of his meeting with Song, Kang told the regular reporters covering the prosecution, “We are reflecting on this situation in which industry is losing the trust of the people, and have no objection to the idea that corporations at fault should be investigated…However, if the investigation becomes too prolonged, the economy will grow worse. For this reason, I will ask the prosecution to complete the investigation within a short period of time.”

Jin-Kyun Kil leon@donga.com