Korea's 'Clean Hands' quizzed over bribery allegation
By Kim Se-jeong
South Gyeongsang Governor Hong Joon-pyo is surrounded by reporters upon arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap
South Gyeongsang Province Governor Hong Joon-pyo was once compared to Antonio De Pietro, Italy’s mafia-busting prosecutor dubbed “Clean Hands.”
A popular TV series called “Sandglass” was made in the 1980s about Hong’s daring fight against organized crime.
Now, the 60-year-old former four-term lawmaker has found himself on the other side of an interrogation table. The prosecution plans to indict him on charges of taking bribes from the late Keangnam Enterprises Chairman Sung Woan-jong.
Appearing at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul, Friday, he is the first person to be summoned of the eight politicians named in a memo left by Sung before he killed himself in early April.
“I am sorry for causing public concern because of what’s happening,” Hong told reporters as he was entering the office.
When asked if he received a bribe, he smiled saying, “I came here to explain what happened to me.”
According to the memo, Hong took 100 million won ($92,000) from Sung in June 2011 when he was running for the chairmanship of the ruling Grand National Party, now the Saenuri Party.
Yun Seung-mo, the former Keangnam vice president, told the prosecution he had delivered the money from Sung to Hong. Yun helped with Hong’s campaign in 2011.
Yun testified that he handed over cash in a paper bag to one of Hong’s aides, Na Gyeong-beom, at Hong’s office in the National Assembly. According to Yun, Hong was there when the money was delivered, but Hong has claimed he does not remember any such meeting.
The prosecution said it is examining a list of donors to Hong, the amounts in donations and records showing how campaign funds were spent.
The prosecution also questioned Na, who was in charge of finances during Hong’s campaign, Monday. Hong’s other aide, Kim Hae-soo, the former CEO of Korea Construction Management Corp. was also questioned over allegations that he asked Yun to lie about the money.
Hong has denied these allegations.
Hong has also claimed Yun could have taken the money for himself.
He also argued that the memo written by Sung is full of lies, so therefore cannot be taken as evidence.
Hong’s questioning is a dramatic turn of events for the former star prosecutor. While working for the prosecution between 1983 and 1995, he gained a reputation as a corruption fighter. He led a corruption investigation into former lawmaker Park Chul-un, who served as former President Roh Tae-woo’s aide in 1993. The famous 1995 soap opera “Hourglass” gave a glimpse into the scandal, giving rise to Hong’s fame.
Besides Hong, former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo and other aides to President Park Geun-hye were on Sung’s list.
The prosecution is also expected to issue a summons for Lee, who stepped down from his post in late April.