Prosecutors to Review Kim’s L.A. Prison Records

Senior prosecutor Choi Jae-kyung of the Seoul District Prosecutors` Office said on Feb. 27 that his team was analyzing L.A. prison records related to Kim Kyung-joon, a central figure in the BBK stock fraud scandal. There are more than 1,000 pages of data. The prosecution is currently investigating allegations that Kim’s extradition to Korea was conspired by the previous government.

Names of all of Kim’s visitors from May 2004, when he was arrested by the FBI at his Beverly Hills home, to last November, just before his extradition to Korea, are on file.

Senior Prosecutor Kim Hong-il at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office said, “As the record stretches almost three and a half years, and was written by hand, it will take a considerable amount of time.” He added, “We plan to search these records for evidence to support the allegations of contract forgery, existence of an accomplice, or pre-planned extradition to Korea.”

The list of names of Kim Kyung-joon’s visitors is written, but their conversations are not recorded.

Prosecutors are focusing on whether Kim met someone in October last year, when he abruptly withdrew his right to an appeal and before he was extradited to Korea in November.

As soon as their review is done, the prosecution is set to summon Kim, who is now in jail in Korea. The prosecution is considering whether to obtain an arrest warrant in the event he refuses to cooperate.

Prosecutors, who received the investigation files from the special prosecutor team, will soon decide whether they plan to indict Kim on additional charges.

In addition, the prosecution began processing the extradition of Kim’s sister, Erika Kim, and his wife, Lee Bo-ra.

Meanwhile, the Grand National Party canceled plans to send a team of its investigators to the U.S.

GNP Rep. Park Kye-dong, chairman of a committee overseeing political corruption, said, “Our party decided not to send our own investigators, since Kim’s prison records are already in Korea and our investigation may conflict with current legal proceedings between the two countries.”

needjung@donga.com