By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Prosecution sought an arrest warrant for Kang Moo-hyun, the former minister of maritime affairs and fisheries in the Roh Moo-hyun administration, on bribery charges, Sunday.
Kang, 57, has been detained since Friday on suspicion of taking more than 90 million won in bribes from several shipping companies.
He received the money in return for business favors, including changes in shipping routes. Kang's wife managed the money under borrowed-name bank accounts, a prosecutor said.
In May, the prosecution summoned the former minister for the first time to question him over the alleged money-for-favor deals with some shipping companies. A company's former vice chairman was arrested last week on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust.
The maritime affairs ministry, where Kang served as the last minister from April 2007 through February 2008, was merged into the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs early this year in line with President Lee's efforts to build a ``small but efficient government.''
Kang is the first former minister under Roh to be arrested since President Lee Myung-bak took office in February.
It is speculated that Kang's arrest is the first in a series of investigations involving key aides who served under the liberal administration. Two former secretaries are being investigated over questionable money transfers.
A prosecutor said it is too early to conclude Roh's former aides committed wrongdoing as definite evidence is yet to emerge.
``Kang partially admitted what he did,'' a prosecutor said. ``This probe succeeded in discovering corrupt ties between top government officials and shipping companies.''