Counsel team presses acting President for probe extension

By Kim Bo-eun

The independent counsel team urged acting President, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn to extend the team’s mandate, Monday.

“We have not yet received an answer," team spokesman Lee Kyu-chul said. "Making a swift decision on the extension will help in efficiently utilizing the remaining mandate."

The investigation period ends on Feb. 28, and the team filed for an extension on Feb. 16.

Because it is unclear whether the extension will be granted, the team has been accelerating its probe into allegations involving Samsung Group and former presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo.

Investigations gained momentum after the court issued an arrest warrant for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, early Friday, putting the de facto Samsung chief behind bars.

The court’s approval of the warrant was granted following an earlier rejection.

The team summoned Lee twice on the weekend to question Samsung’s provision of funds to President Park Geun-hye’s confidant Choi Soon-sil.

The funds are believed to have been bribes for Cheong Wa Dae to help Lee with a smooth power transfer from his father, Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

The team also summoned Woo Saturday and sought an arrest warrant for him the following day.

Woo faces charges of overlooking, or abetting Choi’s meddling in state affairs, obstructing an independent presidential investigator’s probe into the scandal and engaging in the creation of a blacklist of artists critical of the government.

The court will hold a hearing over the warrant and decide on Woo’s arrest late today or early Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the team reaffirmed the need for the President to be questioned before the probe into the scandal ends.

“We believe face-to-face questioning of the President is necessary,” Lee said.

An earlier deal reached between the counsel team and Park’s legal representatives for the President’s questioning to take place on Feb. 9 fell through after a media report disclosed the date of the questioning.

The team needs further investigations into allegations against Park, including allegations of her ordering Samsung to provide funds for Choi in return for granting the group business favors, ordering the creation of a blacklist of artists and dereliction of duty on the day of the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014.

Lee also said the team was reviewing measures in regards to a search of Cheong Wa Dae.

On Feb. 3, the team tried to search Cheong Wa Dae to acquire evidence of the allegations against President Park, but was denied entry, with officials claiming the grounds were a national security zone.

The team consequently filed a suit asking the court to allow it to search the presidential office, but the court dismissed the request last week.

The team may appeal against the dismissal.