Key figure in vote-buying scandal faces arrest

By Kim Rahn

A local court issued Monday a warrant to arrest a non-parliamentary member of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) in the cash-for-votes scandal.

A judge said the arrest was necessary because of the possiblity that An Byung-young, chief of the party’s main chapter may destroy evidence and attempt to flee.

An, 54, is the first to be arrested among figures allegedly involved in the scandal.

He allegedly attempted to bribe officials of other party chapters in Seoul by ordering five of his subordinates to deliver money to gain their support for current National Assembly speaker Park Hee-tae before the party’s leadership race in 2008.

He denied the allegations before entering the court.

“Of course. Nobody gave or received any money,” he told reporters.

An said he was not well acquainted with Park’s aide Cho Jung-man, who was in charge of bookkeeping at the Park camp and is suspected of having orchestrated the bribery scheme. He also denied higher-ranking GNP members’ involvement.

It has been alleged that along with cash, An gave the five a list of people to whom they were supposed to deliver the money.

He claimed the list was not used to offer bribes but to check whether those people supported Park, and said he destroyed it after the race to keep their allegiance secret.

Prosecutors plan to question him over who plotted the bribery and where he got the money.

Cho may also be summoned soon for questioning. He has been banned from traveling abroad.