By Lee Kyung-min
The prosecution has cleared former Cheong Wa Dae Chief of Staff Kim Ki-choon and other politicians of allegations that they received bribes from the late former Keangnam Enterprises Chairman Sung Woan-jong.
Prosecutors said they have concluded a months-long probe into the bribery allegations, triggered by Sung’s suicide in April. These probe results will be made public on Thursday in a press briefing.
Sung hanged himself on April 9 leaving behind a note containing the names of eight politicians who he claimed were bribed by him in the lead up to the 2012 presidential election.
The prosecution, however, said they failed to prove the bribery allegations.
“After questioning key aides of the officials and analyzing seized bank accounts, we concluded that there is no direct evidence that proves they received the illegal political funds from Sung,” a prosecutor said.
The names included former Cheong Wa Dae Chief of Staff Kim Ki-choon; Kim's predecessor, Heo Tae-yeol; Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok; South Gyeongsang Province Governor Hong Joon-pyo; Saenuri Party lawmaker Hong Mun-jong; former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo; former Chief of Staff Lee Byung-ki; and Busan Mayor Seo Byung-soo.
The eight have all flatly denied the allegations.
Of the eight, the prosecution plans to indict former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo and South Gyeongsang Province Governor Hong Joon-pyo, saying it has enough evidence.
Lee and Hong had been suspected of receiving 30 million won in 2013 and 100 million won in 2011, respectively, during their election campaigns.
The prosecution also said it failed to prove allegations that Sung bribed Roh Gun-pyeong, the brother of late President Roh Moo-hyun, to receive a presidential pardon in 2007.
Earlier, Sung had been sentenced to six months in prison suspended for one year after being found guilty for his involvement in development project corruption in Haengdam Island in South Chungcheong Province.
The prosecution has been questioning Roh Gun-pyeong on suspicion that he received suspicious money from Sung’s company in 2008 through his friend, a construction company owner, but failed to prove the money was delivered to Roh.
The friend’s company and Sung’s company were in business together, the prosecution said.
Yet, the prosecution is looking into possibilities for any corruption involving deals the friend had conducted with Keangnam Enterprise at that time.