By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

Investigators from the Ministry of National Defense indicted two Navy officers and two others at the Gyeryongdae military compound in South Chungcheong Province, Monday, on charges of receiving bribes from local suppliers or influence-peddling.

Eleven other officers were also arrested for their involvement in bribery cases that occurred between 2002 and 2005, a spokesman for the ministry said.

According to an interim report, a Marine colonel identified by his surname Ryu helped a local construction company win a contract from the military headquarters in 2003 and received about 41 million won from the firm in kickbacks.

In a separate case, an officer identified as only his family name Lee received about 30 million won from a local construction firm in return for helping the company win a contract between 2004 and 2005.

Lee is also accused of having taken 38 million won from his colleagues in return for helping them gain promotion, according to investigators.

A Navy captain, identified as Kim, helped Lee by interfering in an investigation of him ― he received 60 million won in return.

When Navy investigators were dispatched to the headquarters in February this year, Kim again tried to interfere in the probe.

A Navy non-commissioned officer, also identified as a Kim, was involved in an influence-peddling case, investigators said. Kim received about 1.5 million won from a local furniture supplier between 2003 and 2005 in return for helping the firm win a contract. He also took about 6 million won illegally by inflating the unit costs of the furniture.

The investigation was launched in October under the direction of Defense Minister Kim Tae-young, after Lieutenant Commander Kim Young-soo spoke up regarding irregularities at Gyeryongdae.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr