Value context and insight. lkm@koreatimes.co.kr
Ex-NPAD head faces questioning over alleged influence peddling
By Lee Kyung-min
Rep. Moon Hee-sang
By Lee Kyung-min
Rep. Moon Hee-sang of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) may be summoned by the prosecution for questioning over whether he exercised influence as a lawmaker to gain employment for his brother- in-law.
Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho allegedly got the man a job at a U.S. company on Moon’s request and may also be questioned.
Prosecutors at Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office questioned the wife of Moon, the former NPAD chairman, on Saturday. She was questioned for more than 10 hours.
It is alleged that Moon asked Cho to have his brother-in-law, Kim, land a job as a consultant at Bridge Warehouse, a U.S.-based company that had business with Hanjin Shipping, an affiliate of Hanjin Group, in 2004. It is suspected that Kim received $740,000 throughout 2012 from the company even though he did not work for the firm.
Moon and Cho are high school alumni.
The investigation started in June after civic groups filed a complaint with the prosecution. Investigators raided the offices of Hanjin Group, Korean Air and Hanjin Shipping. They also investigated Kim, three key aides to Cho and Bridge Warehouse.
The allegation was made public after a court document for a compensation suit filed by Kim against Moon was disclosed. In the document, Kim claimed that Moon helped him land the job at the company in 2004 after asking Cho.
Hanjin Group earlier denied the allegation, saying the U.S. company was not affiliated with the group.
“Hanjin Group has never invested money in that company and the chairman has no knowledge about Kim’s employment,” the group said.