Former Ambassador to U.S. Summoned in Wiretap Probe

On December 9, the wiretap investigation team of the Seoul Central District Public Prosecutor’s Office unofficially summoned the former Ambassador to the U.S. Hong Seok-hyun for follow-up questioning.

The Prosecutor’s Office asked Hong, who arrived at the office at 2:00 p.m., about his role in Samsung’s presidential election funding back in 1997.

The prosecution also summoned five or six employees in the accounting department of Samsung affiliate companies for questioning. An official of the prosecutor’s office stated, “We summoned these employees to investigate the source and purpose of the funds handed to the presidential candidate.”

The prosecution also looked into the source of the money Samsung gave to presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang’s younger brother Hoi-seong in September-November, 1997. They investigated into whether that money came from a slush fund from Samsung affiliate companies.

Meanwhile, former head of National Intelligence Service Lim Dong-won, who was arrested for violation of the communications privacy law, applied for bail. The prosecution stated their opposition of bail to the court.

Jin-Kyun Kil leon@donga.com