Lee Bu-yeong to be Summoned Next Week for Suspicions around Acquisition of 100 Million Won from Hanhwa

On January 28, it was reported that the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office, which is conducting an investigation into suspicions of illegitimacy of Hanhwa’s acquisition of Daehan Life Insurance, will summon former assemblyman Lee Bu-yeong for questioning next week regarding evidence of his receipt of 100 million won from Hanhwa.

The prosecution is also to summon Hanhwa Group Chairman Kim Seung-yeon for questioning before the New Year holiday.

Former assemblyman Lee denied the issue, saying, “I am not acquainted with Vice Chairman Kim Yeon-bae of Hanhwa, and I have never received any money from Hanhwa.” However, a close attendant of the former assemblyman said, “I received 30 million won in bonds from Hanhwa.”

The prosecution sees the possibility of Hanhwa having attempted bribery with gold and other valuable goods around the time of Hanhwa’s unsuccessful attempt to hand over 1.5 billion won worth of bonds to the former Finance and Economy Minister Jun Yoon-cheol (Supervisory Office) around September 2002, and plans to expand its investigation around this possibility.

jin0619@donga.com