By Kim Rahn
Prosecutors said Thursday that they have launched an investigation into an allegation that a number of lawmaker hopefuls bribed senior members of the ruling Saenuri Party ahead of the parliamentary elections in April.
The allegation, raised by the National Election Commission (NEC), is a blow to the ruling party, as it gears up for the presidential election in December.
Prosecutors said Thursday that they are probing an allegation that Rep. Hyun Young-hee, who sought the party’s candidacy for a National Assembly seat, gave 300 million won ($265,000) to Hyun Ki-whan, a former lawmaker for the party who was in charge of the candidate selection.
It is alleged that she originally failed to become a candidate for a Busan district, but obtained candidacy as a proportional representative after offering the bribe. She eventually gained a parliamentary seat.
The investigation is based on a complaint from the election commission. It handed over related data to them.
Hyun Young-hee is also suspected of having offered 20 million won in illegal political funds to the party’s former Chairman Hong Joon-pyo in March, as well as falsely reporting her political funds to the authorities.
The NEC alleged that the lawmaker violated the Election Law and the Political Funds Law. It also asked the prosecution to investigate the former lawmakers Hyun and Hong, and Hyun Young-hee’s aide, surnamed Cho who allegedly delivered the bribes to the former lawmakers.
Prosecutors plan to summon the involved figures soon for questioning.
It was found that the Saenuri Party had been examining the allegation away from the public arena.
All those allegedly involved dismissed the suspicions as groundless and politically motivated.
Hyun Young-hee said in a statement that she will leave the party if the allegation is proven true.
Hyun Ki-whan said prosecutors should investigate the allegation as soon as possible to establish the truth instead of disclosing his name to the media and slandering him.
Hong also said he was never involved in the candidate selection.
The main opposition Democratic United Party denounced the ruling party for “selling” lawmaker positions. It claimed Rep. Park Geun-hye, Saenuri’s frontrunner presidential contender, should take responsibility for the issue, pointing out that former lawmaker Hyun is her close aide. Saenuri said the investigation will uncover the truth.
In a related probe, prosecutors are looking into another money-for-candidacy deal at the minor opposition Advancement and Unification Party.
It is alleged that officials of the party asked Rep. Kim Young-joo, who sought the party’s proportional representative seat, to lend 5 billion won to the party in return for the candidacy. Prosecutors said that, so far, it doesn’t appear that he loaned the money to the party.
Several more members of the party are also under investigation on suspicions of managing illegal political funds.