ID :
33192
Sun, 11/30/2008 - 22:05
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/33192
The shortlink copeid
Former president's brother to be summoned for alleged bribe-taking
SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- The elder brother of former president Roh Moo-hyun will be summoned over allegations that he received kickbacks for arranging the takeover of a local securities firm, prosecutors said Sunday.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Roh Gun-pyeong will be ordered to appear for
questioning on Monday or Tuesday to explain his role in the arrangement of a
meeting between Sejong Capital president Hong Gi-ok and National Agricultural
Cooperative Federation (Nonghyup) chairman Chung Dae-kun.
The meeting set the stage for Nonghyup's buyout of Sejong Securities Co. in
January 2006. Sejong Capital was the parent company of the faltering securities
firm.
Authorities claim they have sufficient grounds to summon Roh, as others involved
in the transaction have alleged that the president's brother asked for some form
of compensation.
What is known is that 3 billion won in bribe money resulting from the Nonghyup
deal was used to buy a video game arcade for adults in Gimhae, about 450
kilometers southeast of Seoul. That money first went Jeong Hwa-sam and his
brother Jeong Gwang-yong, both of whom are in custody on bribe-taking charges.
Prosecutors suspect Roh also received a cut.
On paper, the son-in-law of Jeong Hwa-sam is the owner of the arcade, which last
year generated 20 million won in profits daily. But investigators have hinted
they may have evidence to trace some of the profits to Roh.
Jeong is a high school friend of the former president.
The elder Roh, who is a farmer, stressed that while he arranged the meeting, he
did not take any money.
The probe is part of a broader investigation involving Park Yeon-cha, chairman of
Taekwang Industry Co., who was a key sponsor of President Roh for two decades.
The head of Taekwang, a leading shoemaker in Busan and a Nike outsourcing firm,
is suspected of having evaded taxes and engaged in insider trading in relation to
the Sejong Securities takeover.
Park had invested 11 billion won in the shaky securities firm in 2005 and earned
17.8 billion won when the firm was bought by Nonghyup.
Prosecutors said that they also plan to summon Park for questioning.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Roh Gun-pyeong will be ordered to appear for
questioning on Monday or Tuesday to explain his role in the arrangement of a
meeting between Sejong Capital president Hong Gi-ok and National Agricultural
Cooperative Federation (Nonghyup) chairman Chung Dae-kun.
The meeting set the stage for Nonghyup's buyout of Sejong Securities Co. in
January 2006. Sejong Capital was the parent company of the faltering securities
firm.
Authorities claim they have sufficient grounds to summon Roh, as others involved
in the transaction have alleged that the president's brother asked for some form
of compensation.
What is known is that 3 billion won in bribe money resulting from the Nonghyup
deal was used to buy a video game arcade for adults in Gimhae, about 450
kilometers southeast of Seoul. That money first went Jeong Hwa-sam and his
brother Jeong Gwang-yong, both of whom are in custody on bribe-taking charges.
Prosecutors suspect Roh also received a cut.
On paper, the son-in-law of Jeong Hwa-sam is the owner of the arcade, which last
year generated 20 million won in profits daily. But investigators have hinted
they may have evidence to trace some of the profits to Roh.
Jeong is a high school friend of the former president.
The elder Roh, who is a farmer, stressed that while he arranged the meeting, he
did not take any money.
The probe is part of a broader investigation involving Park Yeon-cha, chairman of
Taekwang Industry Co., who was a key sponsor of President Roh for two decades.
The head of Taekwang, a leading shoemaker in Busan and a Nike outsourcing firm,
is suspected of having evaded taxes and engaged in insider trading in relation to
the Sejong Securities takeover.
Park had invested 11 billion won in the shaky securities firm in 2005 and earned
17.8 billion won when the firm was bought by Nonghyup.
Prosecutors said that they also plan to summon Park for questioning.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
