The Prosecution Requested the Warrant Against Moon Byung-wuk, chairman of Sun & Moon Group

The Central Investigation Bureau at the Supreme Public Prosecutor`s Office issued an arrest warrant against Moon Byung-wuk, the chairman of Sun & Moon Group who attended the same high school as Roh. The warrant was for suspicion of tax evasion.

The prosecution also plans to summon and investigate politicians of the ruling and opposition parties who accepted illegal presidential election funds from chairman Moon at any point.

According to the prosecution, chairman Moon is suspected of evading 1.14 billion won in corporation taxes and seizing 1.3 billion won in company funds related to the management of Hotel Victoria, an affiliated company in Seoul since 1999.

Chairman Moon has also been under suspicion of illegally keeping 1.515 billion won in value-added taxes from the National Tax Service through the manipulation of sales.

The prosecution summoned Kim Sung-nae, the former vice-president of Sun & Moon Group, for two days and investigated whether Lee Kwang-jae, a former Cheong Wa Dae aide, was involved in the suspected receipt of political slush funds and intervention in Sun & Moon Group’s loans.

The prosecution is also considering eventually summoning Lee Gwang-jae. “We can take action to prohibit Lee Gwang-jae from leaving the country if evidence related to the illegal political funds is found,” said Moon Hyo-nam, the chief investigation planner at the Supreme Public Prosecutor`s Office

In regard to the chairman of Changshin Textile Inc., Kang Keum-won’s purchase of Lee Ki-Myung’s land in Yongin, the prosecution is now investigating whether the 1.9 billion won provided to President Roh were illegal political funds and is also considering summoning Mr. Lee as a witness.

Meanwhile, the prosecution plans to issue an arrest warrant or take legal actions without restraint against Rep. Park Joo-chun and Rep. Im Jin-chool of the GNP and Rep. Park Joo-sun and Rep. Lee Hoon-pyoung of the MDP, as well as Park Gwang-tae, the mayor of Jeonju, who were all involved in the Hyundai illegal political funds case from December 5.

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