Additional Discovery of 43.9 Billion Won in Bonds From Samsung Group

The central investigation department of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office (Ahn Dae-hee, senior officer) disclosed on April 22 that they will summon Seo Young-hun, a former Millennium Democratic Party leader for investigation on charges of receiving 500 million won in illegal political funds in the 2002 presidential election campaign from Lee Jung-keun, a chairman of Buyoung construction company, and handing the funds to the camp of candidate Roh Moo-hyun.

After investigating whether party leader Seo received 500 million won from chairman Lee for delivery to Chung Dae-chul, a chairman of the election committee on Roh’s camp at that time, the prosecution will set a date to summon Rep. Chung Dae-chul for investigation.

Former leader Seo served as the president of the Korean Red Cross Society from 2001 to late last year after working as the party leader in 2000.

In addition, the prosecution discovered clues that Samsung bought obligations to bearer worth 43.9 billion won from the private market in 2002 and are investigating the sources of the funds.

Since the prosecution already affirmed that Samsung raised 53 billion won in illegal funds, which includes 33 billion won of bonds handed over to the ruling and opposition parties in 2002 presidential election, and 20 billion won in bonds raised in 2001, the total amount of Samsung bonds has increased to 100 billion won.

The prosecution also discovered clues that the Lotte group raised 14 billion won in secret funds from the false handling of accounts of a Lotte hotel from January, 1999 to October of last year.

Meanwhile, the prosecution secured a statement that Choi Do-sul, former presidential secretary, reported President Roh that he concealed 300 million won for the coming election in August, 2003, just before the investigation started.

Choi said in the investigation of the prosecution that he reported to the president that “I bought a 300 million won certificate of deposit with the balance of election fund,” and was blamed by President, saying, “Why did you do the things that I didn’t tell you to do?”

jin0619@donga.com