Investigating the Intervention of the Party Guidance Division

The investigation headquarters of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, with Senior Prosecutor Ahn Dae-hee heading the investigation, is examining SK’s slush fund scandal and as of October 23, has ensured the statement that Rep. Choi Don-woong of the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) had given the opposition of GNP a considerable amount of the 10 billion won fund that he illegally received from SK last year.

Accordingly, the prosecution is considering a plan to investigate the individuals concerned with the election polling committee or financial affairs of the GNP who have received money from Choi Don-woong.

In this regard, it is inevitable to investigate Kim Young-il, a lawmaker who took the responsibilities at the headquarters for the election polling committee of the GNP, and Rep. Seo Chung-won, a chairman of the election polling committee during the last presidential election.

The prosecution has another course of action to take - investigating on whether Choi conspired with the core party leadership in the process of delivering the SK fund to the party where the guidance division intervened or did he recognize it and planned to trace bank accounts related to the opposition Grand National Party.

The prosecution summoned Choi without opening to the public and had an investigation this afternoon on whether he previously consulted with the core people of the election polling committee before asking for 10 billion won from the SK Group under the name of backing money for the presidential election campaign. Also investigated this afternoon was whether Choi reported to then-GNP presidential candidate, Lee Hoi-chang, before or after the transmission of the money.

Even though Rep. Choi denied the suspicion of using part of 10 billion won for personal issues, the prosecution is now verifying the possibility of Choi pocketing part of it.

Meanwhile, the prosecution plans to announce the part where Choi used the certificate of deposit (CD), a 1.1 billion won he accepted from SK when the time limit of the arrest of Choi Do-sul, President Roh’s close aide, was to expire in the first round on October 24.

Wi-Yong Jung Jin-Kyun Kil viyonz@donga.com leon@donga.com