Ex-Nat`l Police Chief Questioned in Taekwang Scandal

Prosecutors subpoenaed yesterday the former head of the National Police Agency, Lee Taek-soon, who is alleged to have received bribes from Taekwang Industry Chairman Park Yeon-cha.

They said Lee took the money from Park when Lee was police chief between February 2006 and February last year in return for favors. Investigators returned Lee late last night and plan to indict him for bribery.

Prosecutors also called for questioning today Choi Chul-gook, a lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic Party, saying Park gave tens of millions of won (tens of thousands of U.S. dollars) in illegal political funds to Choi.

Choi had said earlier, “I did borrow 70 million won (56,220 dollars) in bank checks for a house deposit from Park’s friend in 2005 and repaid with interest in 2007, but I`ve never received bribes.”

Park said, however, that he gave additional money to Choi apart from the deposit.

Prosecutors also subpoenaed Sejoong Namo Tour Chairman Chun Shin-il again yesterday on the suspicion that he made a huge profit by manipulating stock prices when he increased the number of subsidiaries to 13 through M&As and divisions between 2003 and 2006.

After questioning, they will seek an arrest warrant Chun on the charge of accepting 700 million won (562,200 dollars) in return for helping Park avoid a tax audit and evading 8.5 billion won (6.8 million dollars) in inheritance taxes.

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