By Kim Se-jeong
Park Ji-man, President Park Geun-hye’s youngest brother, was asked to appear for questioning as early as Monday as a witness in the “memogate” scandal, prosecutors said Sunday.
The brother, 56, chairman of electronics materials firm EG, is facing allegations that he was in a power struggle with President Park’s former confidant Jeong Yun-hoe. Apparently being on the losing side, he became involved in the leaking of documents from Cheong Wa Dae, touching off the ongoing scandal.
Former presidential aide Cho Eung-chon, who took sides with the younger Park, underwent questioning over allegations that he played a role in the document leaks.
On Saturday, one of the three policemen who were questioned by prosecutors over the incident committed suicide, leaving behind a note saying that he had nothing to do with the leak.
The Segye Ilbo broke the story on Nov. 28 that the documents were internal reports regarding Jeong influencing state affairs through regular meetings with eight secretaries.
Jeong married a daughter of the late Choi Tae-min, an advisor to President Park, when she served as first lady for her father, President Park Chung-hee, but is now divorced.
Park’s summons came as prosecutors were picking up the pace of their investigations.
Lee Jae-man, presidential secretary for administrative affairs, was questioned Sunday in connection with a libel suit he filed together with seven other Park aides against the Segye Ilbo.
Prosecutors plan to call the other plaintiffs. Lee is one of Park’s most trusted three aides.
Meanwhile, Ichon Police in Gyeonggi Province identified the dead policeman as a lieutenant Choi, 45.
He was found dead in a van parked outside an empty house in his hometown of Ichon, Saturday afternoon.
The police found burnt briquettes, along with a 14-page suicide note.
An autopsy was conducted Sunday. The National Forensic Service (NFS) said it found no evidence of homicide in its initial inspection.
The family of Choi raised allegations that he might have been murdered. The NFS said it will take at least three weeks for the autopsy results to be finalized.
Choi is one of the three police officers who have been questioned over their involvement in the scandal.
In a news conference, Choi’s family said he was being falsely charged.
“The false charges put him under a great deal of stress,” his brother said.
He claimed that his deceased brother said in the note, “I am falsely charged. Things are so unfair. I love my family. I love my colleagues.”
“When I spoke with him at 11:30 a.m. (on Friday), he told me he was being followed. I told him to abandon the vehicle and I would pick him up. But, he said everything would be alright because he had done nothing wrong.” That was the last conversation between the two.