Prosecution to Grill Former Prosecutor General

Prosecutors are investigating allegations that former Prosecutor General Shin Seung-Nam leaked investigative information on the fraud case of the Saehan Group to Kim Hong-up, vice chairman of the Peace Foundation for the Asia Pacific Region.

According to the prosecution, testimony was obtained from Kim Sung-Hwan , Hong-up`s high school friend, that he asked Shin a favor for Lee Jae-Gwan, former vice chairman of the Saehan Group, and that a few days later, Shin told Kim that Lee would not be arrested." At that time Lee was at large in Japan.

Prosecutors said that it was inevitable to question the ex-chief of the prosecution on his alleged leakage of information, but it has yet to decide how and when to question him.

An official in the prosecution said, "the prosecution will call in Shin when it secured enough evidence that he leaked investigative information and unduly exercised his authority. "

In addition, prosecutors are examining whether Shin exercised undue pressure to investigators after obtaining testimony from Kim Sung-hwan that he sought Shin`s influence in May, 2000 in the bribery case involving Pyeongchang construction company.

Kim testified before prosecutors that he heard from Yoo Jin-geol, Hong-up`s university alumnus that everything went well after the investigation closed.

A prosecution official said, "It is highly likely that having thought that Kim asked a favor on behalf of Hong-up, Shin accepted Kim`s request."

Wi-Yong Jung Sang-Rok Lee viyonz@donga.com myzodan@donga.com