ID :
34553
Mon, 12/08/2008 - 19:40
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/34553
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Prosecutors deny targeting previous government officials
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors said Monday that their investigation into a key associate of former President Roh Moo-hyun centers on alleged murky business deals, not political bribery, rejecting suspicions that their probe seeks to punish previous government officials.
Park Yen-cha, a Roh sponsor and head of Taekwang Industry Co., a leading
shoemaker and a Nike outsourcing firm, was expected to be summoned this week over
his suspicious stock earnings from an ailing brokerage house, which was buoyed
when the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, or Nonghyup, took it over
in 2006.
Roh's elder brother, Roh Gun-pyeong, was already in prosecutors' custody to face
trial over his alleged role in the takeover.
The probe has spurred media speculation that the prosecution is targeting
politicians associated with Roh.
But Choi Jai-kyeong, spokesman for the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, told
reporters that the probe "is not about lobbying," but about allegations of Park's
alleged illicit earnings and tax evasion.
"We are concerned about the continuing media speculation," he added.
Park is suspected of reaping 20 billion won (US$13.77 million) by investing in
Sejong Securities Co. just months before Nonghyup signed the acquisition deal in
January 2006. Sejong share prices rose several-fold when news of the takeover
broke.
Park also allegedly bought a Nonghyup affiliate at a bargain and handed over as
much as 2 billion won in bribes to Nonghyup's chief, Chung Dae-kun, who is in
jail for another bribery case, according to prosecutors.
The probe is reminiscent of similar corruption scandals that have surfaced in
successive administrations to penalize relatives and friends of former heads of
state for bribery. The accusations are a sharp blow to former President Roh, who
promoted "clean politics" in office.
Despite the prosecution's denial, a Roh confidante argued that the investigation
is meant to be political revenge against Roh.
"The Lee Myung-bak government is investigating to shame the previous
administration," Rep. An Hee-jung of the main opposition Democratic Party said.
"This can be seen as nothing but the will to say, 'You are not an exception' (to
corruption)," he said.
The former president's brother, Roh Gun-pyeong, was arrested last week on
allegations of influencing Nonghyup to buy the brokerage firm and accepting as
much as 3 billion won in bribes from the firm's lobbyists.
He initially denied the allegations, but later changed his position to
acknowledge "some" of them.
In 2004, Roh Gun-pyeong received a suspended jail term for accepting 30 million
won in bribes from Nam Sang-kook, the then head of Daewoo Engineering and
Construction Co. Nam eventually committed suicide by jumping into the Han River
after then President Roh publicly shamed him during a news conference broadcast
nationwide.
Former President Roh retired to his rural hometown of Bonghwa village in February.
hkim@yna.co.kr
Park Yen-cha, a Roh sponsor and head of Taekwang Industry Co., a leading
shoemaker and a Nike outsourcing firm, was expected to be summoned this week over
his suspicious stock earnings from an ailing brokerage house, which was buoyed
when the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, or Nonghyup, took it over
in 2006.
Roh's elder brother, Roh Gun-pyeong, was already in prosecutors' custody to face
trial over his alleged role in the takeover.
The probe has spurred media speculation that the prosecution is targeting
politicians associated with Roh.
But Choi Jai-kyeong, spokesman for the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, told
reporters that the probe "is not about lobbying," but about allegations of Park's
alleged illicit earnings and tax evasion.
"We are concerned about the continuing media speculation," he added.
Park is suspected of reaping 20 billion won (US$13.77 million) by investing in
Sejong Securities Co. just months before Nonghyup signed the acquisition deal in
January 2006. Sejong share prices rose several-fold when news of the takeover
broke.
Park also allegedly bought a Nonghyup affiliate at a bargain and handed over as
much as 2 billion won in bribes to Nonghyup's chief, Chung Dae-kun, who is in
jail for another bribery case, according to prosecutors.
The probe is reminiscent of similar corruption scandals that have surfaced in
successive administrations to penalize relatives and friends of former heads of
state for bribery. The accusations are a sharp blow to former President Roh, who
promoted "clean politics" in office.
Despite the prosecution's denial, a Roh confidante argued that the investigation
is meant to be political revenge against Roh.
"The Lee Myung-bak government is investigating to shame the previous
administration," Rep. An Hee-jung of the main opposition Democratic Party said.
"This can be seen as nothing but the will to say, 'You are not an exception' (to
corruption)," he said.
The former president's brother, Roh Gun-pyeong, was arrested last week on
allegations of influencing Nonghyup to buy the brokerage firm and accepting as
much as 3 billion won in bribes from the firm's lobbyists.
He initially denied the allegations, but later changed his position to
acknowledge "some" of them.
In 2004, Roh Gun-pyeong received a suspended jail term for accepting 30 million
won in bribes from Nam Sang-kook, the then head of Daewoo Engineering and
Construction Co. Nam eventually committed suicide by jumping into the Han River
after then President Roh publicly shamed him during a news conference broadcast
nationwide.
Former President Roh retired to his rural hometown of Bonghwa village in February.
hkim@yna.co.kr
