By Na Jeong-ju
An executive of a web-based broadcaster, Radio 21, faces arrest for receiving billions of won in bribes from at least three lawmaker hopefuls of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) ahead of April’s parliamentary elections.
The prosecution asked the court Monday to issue an arrest warrant for Yang Kyeong-suk, 51, on suspicion of violating the Political Fund Law. She reportedly promised to help them win the DUP’s nominations in return for the money, using her ties to senior DUP members.
The three lawmaker hopefuls — a businessman, a tax accountant and a public official — also face arrest.
Prosecutors suspect a considerable amount of the money might have been given to some DUP members who screened the qualifications of applicants for the party’s nominations. All three people failed to win tickets.
Yang admitted to receiving money from them, but claimed it was an investment for her Internet business, not a bribe. The prosecution, however, said it has secured testimony from the three people that they gave the money to Yang because she promised to help them win the DUP’s nominations.
The DUP said in a statement it has nothing to do with Yang’s case.
“It’s another politically motivated probe targeting our party. The prosecution’s claims suggest that there were dirty deals over the party’s nominations ahead of the parliamentary elections, but that’s not true,” DUP spokesman Rep. Jung Sung-ho said. “It’s a personal fraud case that has nothing to do with our party.”
Radio 21 was established in February 2003 by supporters of then-President Roh Moo-hyun. Yang worked with Moon Sung-keun, an advisor to the DUP’s decision-making Supreme Council, Rhyu Si-min, former co-chairman of the minor opposition Unified Progressive Party and actor Myung Kye-nam to set up the broadcaster.
During Roh’s presidency, it created diverse programs to promote Roh’s policies and attack his political opponents. After President Lee Myung-bak was inaugurated, the firm became a sharp critic of him. It broadcast live rallies against the resumption of U.S. beef imports in early 2008, encouraging people to join the protests.
A native of Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Yang has worked with the DUP and liberal politicians for several years as a public relations expert. She provided services to the opposition party during the presidential and parliamentary elections. Yang, who was formerly a voice actor for public broadcaster KBS, entered politics in 2001 by working as a secretary to former lawmaker Han Hwa-kap.
The revelation came weeks after prosecutors launched a probe into a money-for-nomination scandal involving two members of the ruling Saenuri Party, including Rep. Hyun Young-hee. The lawmaker is suspected of having secured a proportional representative seat in the April elections after paying 300 million won to Hyun Ki-hwan, then a member of a party committee responsible for nominating candidates.
The ruling party expelled both members in an apparent bid to minimize the scandal’s impact on its preparation for the Dec. 19 presidential election.