The prosecutors' office said Thursday it has secured testimony from a former head of a local savings bank who claimed he gave 400 million won ($352,800) to the floor leader of the main opposition party.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Bohae Mutual Savings Bank's former Chairman Oh Moon-chol claimed he gave the money to Rep. Park Jie-won to lobby the lawmaker to halt probes being carried out against the savings bank that was forced to close its doors in April 2010.
It said the transfer of money to the Democratic United Party (DUP) floor leader was made through Kim Seong-rae, the vice chairman of Sun & Moon Group.
Park, a three-term lawmaker, served as a chief of presidential staff and a culture minister under late President Kim Dae-jung, and won his current post in May.
Initially, Oh said he handed over just 200 million won to Park so he could lobby for the lender that has since been absorbed into Yes Savings Bank. Both Oh and Kim are in currently in prison.
Investigators added that Kim met with an aide to Park at least once, and plans to summon him for questioning. Park and his aide have repeatedly argued they never met Kim. Park voluntarily submitted to a marathon question session late last month, making clear he will not go to the prosecutors' office again.
Park said the entire investigation is politically motivated and aims to tarnish the opposition party ahead of the this year's presidential election slated for Dec. 19.
In addition, prosecutors have been probing separate claims that the DUP lawmaker received 30 million won from Bohae Brewery Co. Chairman Lim Kun-woo two years ago.
Besides, Park is accused of receiving 50 million won in illegal political funds from now-jailed Solomon Savings Bank chairman Lim Suk in 2007 and 2008.
State prosecutors, meanwhile, said they are carefully considering a move to indict Park, although it may be hard to detain him during the formal investigation.
Under South Korean law, an incumbent lawmaker cannot be arrested when parliament is in session. In order for a lawmaker to be detained, the National Assembly must agree to the request, which rarely happens. (Yonhap)