SLS CEO summoned for 3rd time

By Na Jeong-ju

Prosecutors questioned SLS Group Chairman Lee Kuk-chul Monday over allegations that he bribed former Vice Culture Minister Shin Jae-min and other presidential aides over the years.

For the third time in as many weeks Lee presented himself to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office at 2:05 p.m. He entered the building saying, “I will tell the truth.”

Lee’s questioning came a day after prosecutors grilled Shin for some 17 hours regarding the bribery allegations.

The prosecution said it has secured evidence that Shin used a credit card issued in the name of an SLS subsidiary and received cash as well as gift certificates from the businessman.

Other presidential aides who had reportedly maintained close relationships with Lee are also becoming caught in the net as prosecutors dig deeper into the scandal. Lee revealed Sunday that he had been keeping records showing who took money from him and how much he gave them.

A former journalist, Shin admitted to having received financial support from the chairman, but denied that he did anything wrong in exchange for the money, a prosecutor said.

“He could be called for questioning again in a few days and will face criminal charges if the allegations are confirmed to be true,” the prosecutor said.

The chairman earlier claimed that he gave Shin more than 1 billion won ($850,000) from June 2002 to August 2009. Lee said he expected nothing from Shin in return.

He added other presidential aides and a senior prosecutor received money from him.

They include Park Young-joon, former vice minister of knowledge economy; Lim Jae-hyun, a presidential secretary for public policy; and Kwak Seung-joon, head of the Presidential Council for Future and Vision. But they all dismissed Lee’s claims.

Park recently filed a defamation suit against the chairman, saying he was raising groundless allegations for his own interests.

According to Lee, after Shin joined a campaign team for then-presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak in 2006, he gave Shin 100 million won to support his electoral activities. Shin also asked for money while serving as a member of the presidential transition committee.

As vice culture minister, Shin also spent tens of millions of won every month with a credit card registered in the name of SLS’s Singapore branch, the businessman said.

SLS, a maker of train parts and vessels, has been under investigation over allegations that it used a slush fund to bribe politicians.

Last month, Lee told the media, “There are many people who received money from me. I will reveal who they are if this administration continues to provoke me.”