Park Geun-hye loyalist under bribery probe
'NIS paid LKP's Choi W 100 mil. in 2014'
By Yi Whan-woo
Choi Kyung-hwan, a four-term lawmaker of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and key loyalist of former President Park Geun-hye, is under investigation by the prosecution over allegations that he took bribes from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) while Park was in office.
The prosecution said Friday it is investigating Choi after obtaining testimony from former NIS Director Lee Byung-kee that the spy agency gave Choi 100 million won ($91,000) in cash in 2014.
At the time, Choi was serving as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs and minister of strategy and finance. It is believed the bribe was given in an attempt to increase the NIS budget for 2015 considering Choi was in charge of government spending.
Choi can face criminal charges for bribery if the prosecution’s claims are found true.
The probe against Choi is separate from the prosecution’s ongoing investigation into Lee and two other former NIS chiefs — Nam Jae-joon and Lee Byeong-ho — who each face bribery allegations of regularly offering cash belonging to the NIS to Park under her orders.
Choi is the first LKP legislator being targeted by the prosecution after the NIS bribery allegations came to light.
Choi denied the allegations, vowing he would disembowel himself and commit suicide in public to prove his innocence.
The prosecution, however, said it is confident about proving the allegations, saying “We have obtained other evidence against Choi while looking into the former NIS chiefs.”
Political sources speculate that the investigation may widen and involve other pro-Park figures including the LKP legislators.
They referred to Park’s former senior political secretaries — Cho Yoon-sun and Hyun Ki-hwan — who already have been accused of receiving NIS money.
The sources also cited rumors that a couple of active lawmakers other than Choi took bribes from the NIS during Park’s term.
The investigation is apparently not favorable for Park, who is undergoing a trial after being ousted in March over the corruption scandal.
Against this backdrop, the LKP accused the Moon Jae-in administration of “political retaliation.”The NIS is suspected of being involved in a smear campaign against Moon in the 2012 presidential election when he lost to Park.
“The prosecution is wielding its power excessively. Its intention must be questioned if its probe is only limited to the officials from the previous government,” LKP floor leader Chung Woo-taik said.
LKP chief spokesman Rep. Chang Jae-won criticized the prosecution’s probe as a “purge,” not an anti-corruption drive pursued by Moon.
Other LKP representatives called on opening an investigation into former NIS chiefs who served under the late President Roh Moo-hyun from 2003 to 2008. Moon was Roh’s chief of staff.
The progressive Justice Party ridiculed the LKP and urged the prosecution to “thoroughly look into” the bribery allegations.
“We cannot help laughing as a series of Park’s top aides are found to be involved in the bribery allegations as the investigation moves forward,” the party said.
Regarding Choi, the party asked the prosecution to arrest him immediately to prevent him from killing himself and disrupting the probe.
Choi served as the country’s chief economic policymaker from July 2014 to January 2016.
During the April 2016 general elections, he screened and recommended possible election candidates for the LKP’s predecessor Saenuri Party based on their loyalty for Park.
He led the campaign opposing Park’s impeachment in December 2016 when the National Assembly voted to impeach her.
Meanwhile, the prosecution searched the office of LKP lawmaker Won Yoo-chul, Thursday, over allegations that he accepted a large sum of illegal political fund from entrepreneurs this year.
Won was the former Saenuri Party floor leader from July 2015 to May 2016. He is considered a Park loyalist.He denied allegations on Facebook, claiming “Never did I accept illegal political funds in any way.”