‘CEO Park Gave W1 Bln to Pres. Roh in 2005-06’

Prosecutors yesterday said Taekwang Industry Chairman Park Yeon-cha confessed to delivering in 2005 and 2006 bags containing dollars and cash worth one billion won (755 million U.S. dollars) to then President Roh Moo-hyun through then presidential secretary for general affairs Jung Sang-moon.

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office also quoted Park as saying he sent five million dollars Feb. 22 last year to the overseas bank account of Yeon Chul-ho, the first son-in-law of Roh’s brother Gun-pyeong, and one billion won to Roh through Jung at the request of the former president.

Senior prosecutor Hong Man-pyo said Park gave a statement on his delivery of money to Roh at the former president’s request, adding the investigation into the case has progressed to a degree.

“The investigation into the nature of the one billion won has been carried out first and that of the five million dollars is also underway,” Hong said.

“We’ve learned of former First Lady Kwon Yang-sook’s involvement through Roh’s letter of apology posted on his Web page. No IOU bearing interest and principal has been found and Park didn’t say he lent the money (like Roh said).”

This contradicts Roh’s claim that Kwon borrowed money from Park to repay debts.

Concluding that both the five million dollars and the one billion won flowed into Roh’s pocket, prosecutors are considering slapping bribery charges on the former president.

The Seoul Central District Court also held a hearing yesterday on an arrest warrant against Jung. The former presidential aide was arrested on charges of taking 400 million won (302,000 dollars) in bribes from Park and former National Agricultural Cooperative Federation Chairman Chung Dae-kun.

The Daejeon District Public Prosecutors’ Office held a hearing the same day on an arrest warrant against Changshin Textile CEO Kang Keum-won. Kang was arrested on charges of embezzling 26.6 billion won (20.1 million dollars) worth of company funds and evading corporate taxes of 1.6 billion won (1.2 million dollars).

Prosecutors will indict Choo Boo-kil, President Lee Myung-bak’s former presidential secretary for public relations, for taking 200 million won (151,000 dollars) from Park in return for helping Park avoid a tax audit on Taekwang.

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