Police to Question Former Ssangyong Chairman in Fake Degree Case

The investigation into degree faker Shin Jeong-ah now involves former Ssangyong Group chairman Kim Suk-won, whose wife is the director of the gallery where Shin worked as a curator.

In its earlier search of Kim’s house, the Seoul Western Prosecutors’ Office found 6.2 billion won worth of checks, which the prosecutors suspect to be illegal funds. The prosecutors’ office will summon Kim, who is currently staying in Japan, upon his return to question him about the source of money.

The money turned out not to be part of the slush fund of former president Roh Tae-woo, who was convicted of corruption in 1996, a source from the prosecution said on Sunday after analyzing check issuance records.

In addition to the checks, the prosecution also found a number of bank accounts under many borrowed names they suspect belong to Kim in the process of its investigation into the alleged joint embezzlement efforts of Shin and Park Moon-soon, the wife of Kim and the director of the Sungkok Art Museum.

Kim was sentenced to three years in jail with a four-year suspension in 2004 for embezzling 31 billion won of company assets by purchasing the company’s property at giveaway prices. He was pardoned this February on the fourth anniversary of president Roh Moo-hyun’s inauguration.

Prosecutors also plan to summon those involved in the case for a second time, including the former president of Dongguk University who played a central role in hiring Shin as an assistant professor, and Kim Chang-rok, president of Korea Development Bank (KDB), who sponsored the Sungkok Art Museum.

“KDB president Kim was already questioned, but evidence shows that he lied, so we need another round with him, “ said a source from the prosecution. “It is more than likely that the investigation will be prolonged to next year to clear out all the questions involved in this case.”

alwaysj@donga.com