Prosecution welcomes Iraqi offer

By Jung Min-ho

Prosecutors Tuesday expressed confidence about pushing further their investigation of UI Energy CEO Choi Kyu-sun, following a commitment by the Iraqi government to help gather evidence against the alleged fraudster. Choi is accused of embezzling $41 million from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq after signing a deal to build a power plant.

Iraqi Ambassador to Korea, Khalil Al-Mosawi told The Korea Times Monday that the Iraqi government will provide its ``utmost’’ assistance for the probe.

``Since Choi has already been indicted, the direction of any future investigation will depend on the discussions by prosecutors in charge of the investigation and how they handle the new information if there will be any,’’ said a source from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

``However, it’s odd that the Iraqi government knew nothing about our requests (before it was reported by The Korea Times).’’

The prosecutor’s office contacted the Department of Foreign Relations at the KRG four times from November last year, but didn’t get a response. Investigators hope that Al-Mosawi’s promise will help them gather more information from the KRG.

Another source close to the investigation said that he is glad the central government showed its willingness to step in because the KRG has so far only provided him with “contradictory” information in his separate investigation regarding the case.

“I think our next step would be to ensure that the Ambassador actually does what he promised,” Goran Abdulla Sabir Zangana, a local doctor and a representative for the Federation of Civil Society Organizations in Kurdistan, said.

Choi was charged with embezzling the money on July 21, but has not been detained because the prosecution said that he is unlikely to destroy existing evidence against him and that there is not enough material for the court to approve detention.