A top-ranking police officer was summoned on Thursday on suspicion of taking bribes from a troubled savings bank seeking his influence to avoid punishment for the bank's financial irregularities, prosecution sources said.
Lee Chul-gyu, the head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency in the populous province surrounding Seoul, appeared before prosecutors earlier in the morning for questioning, which is expected to last until late at night, the sources said.
The 55-year-old official is suspected of pocketing millions of won in bribes from a lobbyist for suspended Jeil Savings Bank in return for helping the bank avoid police investigations.
Lee, however, strongly denied the allegations, saying he personally knew the lobbyist but had not had any financial dealings with him.
Several ranking politicians and government officials have been charged or convicted of taking bribes from an array of suspended savings banks seeking authorities' influence to cover up their management irregularities.
Prosecutors launched an extensive investigation into the savings bank sector's lavish lobbying and illegitimate management practice last year after dozens of them had their business suspended due to capital losses. The massive losses were the result of unauthorized business deals illegally pursued by the banks. (Yonhap)