By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
The prosecution is expected to probe at least two lawmakers for their violation of the anti-prostitution law.
The prediction came after reports that six lawmakers of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Telecommunications Committee were entertained Monday with taxpayers' money following their audit of the state-funded research and development institutes in Daejeon City. But the suspected lawmakers denied the allegation.
About 170 people including the lawmakers, their aides and officials of the research agencies had dinner at two restaurants near the R&D district. Senior staff members of the agencies paid the bill amounting to 6 million won with credit cards. Following the dinner, about 10 people headed to a nearby karaoke bar. ``I could recognize some of them as being lawmakers because I've seen them on television, and the rest of them were people from the R&D agencies,'' the bar owner was quoted as saying by the Dong-a Ilbo.
The committee chairman and Grand National Party (GNP) lawmaker Rim In-bae, Rep. Kim Tae-hwan of the GNP and Rep. Ryu Keun-chan of the People First Party were confirmed to be on the scene. It is said there were two or three more.
In a large VIP room, they had drinks, attended by three hostesses, according to the bar owner.
After the drinking binge, two of the lawmakers allegedly headed to a motel next to the bar allegedly to have sex with the bar workers. ``The agency officials paid money for five people to have sex, but only two lawmakers actually did. So I returned the money for the other three to the officials,'' the bar owner said.
Lawmakers' aides and secretaries also drank at nearby bars, and the total money the agencies paid amounted to 25 million won. Some officials said several agencies shared the payment.
According to regulations, lawmakers receive all expenses from the National Assembly for accommodation and meals during their audit of government agencies.
The lawmakers may be charged with bribery if they received entertainment or payment for sex services from the organizations under their inspection. According to the anti-prostitution law, which took effect in September 2004, those buying sex are subject to up to one year in jail and three million won in fines.
The lawmakers denied the allegation. They claimed they had dinner but that tens of millions of won was not spent on entertainment or sex trade. GNP chairman Kang Jae-sup said the party will take disciplinary action against the GNP lawmakers involved if they were found to be involved in sex entertainment.