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Wed, February 1, 2023 | 20:49
-------------------------
Ex-JCS head questioned over bribery allegations
최윤희 전 합참의장 소환…"조사에 성실히 임하겠다"
Posted : 2015-11-24 17:18
Updated : 2015-11-24 20:53
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By Kim Se-jeong

Choi Yoon-hee, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Choi Yoon-hee, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Retired Adm. Choi Yoon-hee, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was questioned Tuesday about allegations that he and members of his family took bribes from a weapons dealer over the country's 1-trillion won deal in 2012 to buy maritime helicopters.

He is the highest ranking officer to face investigation into corruption allegations in the defense industry since 1996 when former Defense Minister Lee Yang-ho was arrested.

The summons came 48 days after he finished his 42-year military career last month.

"I will fully cooperate with the investigation," Choi said as he arrived at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seoul.

Prosecutors interrogated him about whether he took money from arms dealer, Ham Tae-heon, in exchange for influence peddling in the helicopter deal. Choi was Chief of Naval Operations at that time.

In 2012, Korea placed orders for eight AgustaWestland's AW159 Lynx Wildcats, a search and rescue, anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine helicopter. Ham arranged the deal between the government and AgustaWestland.

However, it was later found out that the Navy had forged documents about the chopper's operational capability. The evaluation was made before the helicopter had even been produced.

Seven former and incumbent military personnel were arrested earlier for forging the documents. One of them, a rear admiral surnamed Park, told investigators that he followed Choi's orders in the deal.

The prosecution questioned Choi over whether he had knowingly approved the forged documents about the helicopters' operational capabilities.

Prosecutors found suspicious transactions between Ham and Choi's son. The son received 20 million won from Ham but returned 15 million won. In an earlier interrogation, the son maintained the money had nothing to do with his father and he borrowed the money from Ham for his own business.

Choi's wife was also summoned earlier, and she denied the allegation that she received money from Ham.

In related probes, Kim Yang, former head of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, was also indicted for taking money from Ham in connection with the "Wildcat Project."

Separately, the prosecution also questioned Jung Hong-yong, the president of the Agency for Defense Development, for allegedly taking money from Ham in exchange for giving a favorable review of weapons components manufactured by Ham's company. Jung allegedly took 40 million won from Ham for his son's overseas study expenses.

Earlier this month, the prosecution asked the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to provide bank records of Ham, a Korean-American.

The prosecution plans to seek an arrest warrant for Ham later this week. Its initial attempt to arrest him failed, as a local court rejected the request, citing a lack of evidence.


최윤희 전 합참의장 소환…"조사에 성실히 임하겠다"

해상헬기 비리 의혹 조사…율곡비리 이후 軍출신 최고위직 피의자

방위사업비리 정부합동수사단(단장 김기동 검사장)은 해상작전헬기 '와일드캣'(AW-159) 도입 비리에 연루된 의혹을 받는 최윤희(62) 전 합참의장을 24일 소환해 조사하고 있다.

최 전 의장은 1996년 검찰이 율곡사업(군 전력증강 사업) 비리로 이양호 전 국방장관을 구속수사한 이후 방산비리 피의자로 검찰 조사를 받는 군 출신 최고위직 인사다. 그는 지난달 7일 전역하고 48일 만에 검찰에 출두했다.

이날 오전 9시55분께 서울중앙지검 청사에 도착한 최 전 의장은 취재진을 만나 '조사에 성실하게 임하겠다'는 말만 남기고 합수단 조사실로 들어갔다.

합수단은 최 전 의장을 상대로 와일드캣 도입 과정에 개입했는지, 기종 선정을 둘러싸고 금품거래가 있었는지 등을 조사 중이다.

최 전 의장은 2012년 와일드캣이 우리 군의 해상작전헬기로 선정될 당시 해군참모총장이었다.

와일드캣은 해군의 작전요구성능을 충족하지 않는 데다 실물이 개발되지 않은 상황에서 졸속 시험평가를 거쳐 도입이 결정됐다. 이미 해군 박모 소장 등 전·현직 군 관계자 7명이 시험평가서 허위 작성 혐의로 구속기소됐다.

특히 박 소장은 합수단 조사에서 '최 전 의장의 지시에 따라 와일드캣 도입 사업을 진행했다'고 진술한 것으로 전해졌다.

합수단은 와일드캣 도입 때 해외 제작사와 우리 군의 거래를 중개했던 S사의 대표 함모씨가 최 전 의장 측과 의심스러운 금품거래에 대해서도 추궁하고 있다.

함씨는 개인사업을 준비하던 최 전 의장 아들에게 2천만원을 줬다가 1천500만원을 돌려받은 것으로 조사됐다. 이미 조사를 받은 최 전 의장의 아들은 '아버지와는 무관하며 개인적으로 빌렸던 것'이라고 해명한 것으로 전해졌다.

합수단은 최 전 의장을 조사한 뒤 이번 주 후반께 뇌물공여·배임증재 등의 혐의로 함씨의 구속영장을 재청구할 것으로 알려졌다. (연합뉴스)
Emailskim@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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