Tough Investigation into Former Leader of Ruling Party

On February 2, the central investigation department of the Supreme Public Prosecutors` Office (SPPO), which is in charge of investigating the Hanhwa Group’s bidding scandal, summoned Lee Bu-young, former chief of the Uri party, for questioning over allegations that he received 100 million won from the Hanhwa group.

An official from the prosecutor’s office said, “Lee was summoned privately because he was reluctant to be summoned in public.”

The prosecution investigated the amount and use of money he received from the Hanhwa group and questioned the former party leader over whether he knew that his secretary received bonds from the group.

Lee denied the allegations, saying that he was a member of the committee on the Unification, Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee of the National Assembly, which had nothing to do with the acquisition of Korea Life, and that, as a non-mainstream member of the Grand National Party, he was not powerful enough to influence the bidding.

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