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Sat, January 28, 2023 | 03:06
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FBI's help sought in defense corruption probe
'방산비리' 거물 무기중개상 해외로 수십억 유출 정황
Posted : 2015-11-16 16:17
Updated : 2015-11-16 21:53
Jun Ji-hye
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‘American arms dealer bribed Korean officials'

By Jun Ji-hye

Korean investigators have asked the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to provide banking records of a Korean-American arms dealer involved in a high-profile defense corruption scandal here, the prosecution said Monday.

Ham Tae-heon, an American citizen, is facing allegations that he bribed Agency for Defense Development (ADD) President Jung Hong-yong and former Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Choi Yoon-hee in exchange for business favors.

The 59-year-old is known to be running an arms brokerage firm and an Army tank components manufacturer in Korea.

The prosecution's request to the U.S. is part of its efforts to secure evidence. A request from it for an arrest warrant for Ham was rejected by a district court Wednesday.

According to prosecutors, Ham admitted that he gave Jung's son tens of millions of won to help him cover the cost of studying abroad.

The ADD is a state-run defense research center. The money was given to his son soon after Jung was appointed ADD president in May last year, prosecutors said.

The prosecution has been investigating as to whether the money was given to Jung, a retired Army lieutenant general, in exchange for favors for Ham's business.

Regarding the allegations, Jung told reporters last week that his son just borrowed money from Ham, and that all the money was repaid afterward.

"My son borrowed 40 million won from Ham in July last year because my son needed a bank balance certification to study overseas. Then, my son repaid part of the money," he said. "I didn't know about this at the beginning. I learned of it in November of that year and repaid the rest myself."

When rejecting the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant, the Seoul Central District Court said that the nature of the money given to Jung's son was unclear ― namely it was not sure that the money was a bribe.

The prosecution said it will secure more evidence and submit a new request for a warrant.

Investigators recently questioned a son of the former JCS chairman as well after it confirmed that the son received millions of won from Ham.

The son denied that the money was given in expectation of some reciprocity. Ham also claimed it was just pocket money, and that he did not receive any business favors after giving the money, according to the prosecution.

The prosecution has been looking into account information of Choi's family members since he resigned from the position and was discharged from military service on Oct. 7.

One of Ham's companies is suspected of having been selected as a supplier to provide a fire-control system for K11 assault rifles despite its quality being suspect. The ADD had called K11 a masterpiece weapon developed in the nation, but the rifle was soon criticized for its poor performance.

Another of Ham's firms brokered a controversial deal in 2012 when Korea selected multi-mission AW159 Wildcat choppers made by AgustaWestland as part of the Navy's helicopter procurement project. Choi was serving as chief of naval operations when the deal was signed. In June, a rear admiral in the Navy, identified only by his surname Park, was indicted for fabricating evaluations of the helicopter in return for bribes.


Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye


'방산비리' 거물 무기중개상 해외로 수십억 유출 정황

군·검찰, 美 FBI 등에 업체·개인 계좌 입출금 내역 요청

금품로비 의혹으로 수사를 받는 무기중개상 함모(59)씨가 정부를 상대로 납품 사기로 벌여 챙긴 수익을 미국으로 빼돌린 정황이 포착됐다.

군과 검찰은 은닉 자금의 존재와 사용처 등을 확인하고자 미국 정부에 사법공조를 요청했다. 자금 실체에 따라 함씨가 관여한 여러 방산 납품 비리는 물론 최윤희(62) 전 합참의장 등 군 수뇌부를 겨냥한 금품로비 수사도 탄력을 받을 전망이다.

15일 법조계와 방산업계에 따르면 방산비리 정부합동수사단(단장 김기동 검사장)은 최근 미국 법무부와 연방수사국(FBI)에 함씨가 대표로 있는 무기중개업체 S사의 미국법인 계좌 및 함씨 개인계좌 입·출금 자료를 요청했다.

미국 국적인 함씨는 시험평가서 조작으로 문제가 된 해상작전헬기 '와일드캣'(AW-159), 격발장치 결함으로 논란을 일으킨 K-11 복합소총을 중개하거나 납품한 인물이다.

합수단은 함씨가 주도한 단안형 야간투시경, 기관총 주·야간조준경 사업 과정에서의 수상한 자금 흐름을 눈여겨보고 있다. 이들 장비의 납품 규모는 2천600여억원에 달한다.

S사 한국법인이 핵심부품인 영상증폭관을 해외에서 수입 중개하고 함씨가 실질적으로 소유한 또 다른 방산업체 E사가 우리 군에 완성장비를 납품했다.

합수단은 이 과정에서 S사 한국법인이 영상증폭관의 수입 원가를 부풀려 정부 납품대금 88억여원을 가로챈 사실을 확인하고 실무책임자인 S사 이사 신모씨를 올 9월 구속 기소했다.

S사와 E사는 동일인 소유여서 원칙적으로 중개수수료를 받을 수 없다. 하지만 S사는 E사가 소유주가 다른 별개 회사인 것처럼 꾸며 중개수수료를 타내는 방식으로 수입 원가를 부풀렸다.

합수단이 S사 미국법인에도 수십억원의 불법 중개수수료가 흘러들어 간 단서를 잡고 미국 당국에 사법공조를 요청했다.

합수단은 정부를 상대로 한 납품 비리의 정점에 함씨가 있는 것으로 보고 있다.

미국 정부는 합수단의 공조 요청에 긍정적인 반응을 보인 것으로 전해졌다. 함씨는 과거 미국 당국의 승인 없이 군수물자를 수출한 혐의로 FBI의 수사를 받은 적이 있다.

미국 현지 계좌 내역이 확인되면 함씨 수사도 새로운 국면을 맞을 것으로 보인다. 계좌 성격이 단순 범죄수익 은닉용이 아닌 금품로비 자금의 '원천'일 가능성도 있다.

이 계좌의 자금 흐름을 따라가다 보면 와일드캣, K-11 복합소총 등 다른 방산비리의 실체도 어느 정도 확인할 수 있을 것으로 합수단은 기대하고 있다.

함씨가 방산장비 납품을 추진하며 금품로비를 한 정황은 이미 여러 곳에서 드러났다.

최 전 의장과 예비역 장성 출신인 정홍용 국방과학연구소(ADD) 소장의 아들, 국책연구기관 책임연구원의 친동생, 대기업 계열 방산업체 임원 등에게 금품이 건네졌다.

합수단 이들 외에도 함씨가 전·현직 군 관계자와 그 가족을 광범위하게 접촉한 게 아닌지 의심하고 있다.

합수단은 이달 11일 뇌물공여 및 배임수재 혐의로 함씨의 구속영장을 청구했으나 법원에서 기각됐다.

합수단은 조만간 최 전 의장의 부인 김모씨를 참고인 신분으로 불러 조사할 예정이다. 김씨는 함씨가 운영하는 레스토랑에 자주 드나드는 등 함씨와 친분이 두터운 것으로 알려졌다.

개인사업을 준비하던 최 전 의장 부부 아들은 함씨로부터 2천만원을 받았다가 1천500만원을 돌려준 정황이 드러난 상태다. 최 전 의장은 2012년 와일드캣이 우리 군의 해상작전헬기로 선정될 당시 해군참모총장이었다.

합수단은 김씨의 조사 결과를 보고 최 전 의장의 소환 필요성 등을 검토할 것으로 알려졌다. (연합뉴스)
Emailjjh@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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