Prosecutors said Sunday they have requested an arrest warrant for one of President Lee Myung-bak's close confidants on suspicions of receiving bribe money from a corrupt businessman and evading taxes.
Chun Shin-il, head of Sejoongnamo Tour Co., has been summoned and questioned over the past weeks for allegedly pressing tax authorities to suspend an audit into Park Yeon-cha, the indicted head of shoemaker Taekwang Industry, last year in return for monetary benefits worth about 700 million won ($560,000), prosecutors said.
Chun is also suspected of evading about 10 billion won in taxes in the process of handing over shares in his company to his three children in April 2006 with the help of Park, they said, adding the court is expected to rule on whether to issue the arrest warrant for Chun on Tuesday.
The probe into Chun has been suspended over the past week, following the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun, who committed suicide amid prosecutors' investigation into an allegation that he and his family received at least $6 million in bribes before his retirement in February 2008.
Chun and the president are known to be close personal friends and graduated from the same college. Chun is said to have played a key role in Lee's presidential campaign in 2007.