Chun appears before prosecution

Sejoong Namo chief questioned over influence-peddling scandal

By Lee Hyo-sik

Chun Shin-il, the chairman of Sejoong Namo Tour, appeared before the prosecution Wednesday to face questioning over his alleged involvement in an influence-peddling scandal.

Chun, known to have been a close friend of President Lee Myung-bak over the past several decades, appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul at 9:50 a.m.

When asked by reporters about whether he had received money from a jailed businessman in return for helping him receive bank loans, the chairman shook his head and said he will reveal the whole truth during the questioning.

The summons came a day after he returned home from Japan where he had been staying since August to evade the prosecution’s investigation. The timing of his homecoming has drawn criticism as he attempted to attract less public attention by returning when the whole nation is preoccupied with North Korea’s artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island.

Despite repeated requests from the prosecution over the past three months, he had refused to return home, citing business affairs and treatment for a chronic illness.

The chairman is suspected of having received 4 billion won in cash and gift vouchers from Lee Su-wu, head of Imcheon Industry, a subcontractor of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Industries. In return, Chun allegedly used his influence so the company could tap 100 billion won in bank loans in 2005 and another 20 billion won in 2008.

He is also suspected of lobbying government officials and other influential figures to help Nam Sang-tae, CEO of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, to secure a second term in Feb. 2009.

According to the prosecution sources, investigators have secured testimonies from Lee that he gave Chun a total of 2.6 billion won on several occasions at the latter’s residence in 2008. They have also found some evidence implicating Chun in the bribery scandal during a raid on his company headquarters in central Seoul and his private office in southern Seoul on Oct. 28. At the time, investigators seized boxes of accounting books and computer disks.

The prosecution will likely question him over how he received money from Lee and where he spent it. Prosecutors are expected to seek an arrest warrant for Chun on bribery and other charges.

서울중앙지검은 1일 천신일(67) 세중나모여행 회장을 피의자 신분으로 소환, 조사 중이다.

천 회장은 이날 오전 9시50분께 변호인과 함께 중앙지검 청사에 도착해 "검찰에서 모든 걸 밝히겠다"고 말한 뒤 곧장 조사실로 향했다.

검찰에 따르면 천 회장은 2005∼2008년께 대우조선해양의 협력업체인 임천공업 이수우(구속기소) 대표에게서 은행 대출이나 세무조사 무마 등에 관한 청탁을 받고 도움을 주는 대가로 40억여원 상당의 금품을 건네받은 혐의를 받고 있다.

검찰은 이 대표로부터 2008년께 수차례에 걸쳐 서울 성북동의 천 회장 집으로 찾아가 26억원을 건넸다는 진술을 확보했으며, 임천공업의 경리 담당 직원이 돈 전달 시기를 전후해 회삿돈을 인출한 사실도 확인한 것으로 알려졌다.