Go to contents

10 lawmakers barred from leaving country

Posted October. 04, 2000 20:06,   

한국어

The Central Investigation Bureau of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office issued Wednesday an order barring 10 National Assembly representatives, including former representative Hwang Myung-Soo, from leaving the country in connection with the former Agency of National Security Planning's alleged handing over of 40 billion won to the New Korea Party during the 15th general election in 1996.

The representatives barred from leaving the country include former representative Hawng, then-officials of the Agency for National Security Planning and New Korea Party and officials of financial institutions, including Kyongnam Merchant Banking Corporation.

The prosecutor's office is closely investigating whether the funds handed over to New Korea Party candidates came from Agency for National Security Planning reserves, the government budget or external sources. The office has begun backtracking the original account and other related accounts of the Agency for National Security Planning for verification.

Director Park Sang-Gil of the central investigation bureau's investigation planning division asserted that although the bureau is closely tracking the source and the whereabouts of the funds, finding the truth may take time as the funds have been divided into smaller amounts.

Considering the currently promoted summit-level talks between the ruling and the opposition party, the prosecutor's office will stick to tracking accounts for a while and then summon former director Kwon Young-Hae and former deputy general director for operation Kim Ki-Sup of the Agency for National Security Planning, as well as related officials of the financial institutions allegedly connected to money laundering. Moreover, the office plans to investigate the then-New Korea Party candidates who allegedly received the funds.

Director Park emphasized that the investigation could be prolonged as the office would summon the related personnel only after the facts are revealed from the account tracking.

When questioned by the opposition party on the background of the investigation, he asserted that it sprung up unexpectedly when the prosecution was tracking accounts for a probe into alleged lobbying related to the Gyeongbu express railroad.



Shin Suk-Ho kyle@donga.com