3 key presidential aides get travel ban

By Kim Se-jeong

Woo Byung-woo

Prosecutors in Seoul placed an overseas travel ban on three key aides to President Park Geun-hye, Monday, who were removed from their posts the previous day in the fallout over the scandal involving Choi Soon-sil.

The prosecution said it will summon the three ― former senior secretary for civil affairs Woo Byung-woo, former senior secretary for policy coordination An Chong-bum and Park’s ex-personal secretary Jeong Ho-seong ― for questioning this week.

So far, Woo has not been directly implicated in Choi’s alleged meddling in state affairs. However, considering that his role was to conduct checks on high-profile officials at the presidential office, it is suspected that he was aware of what Choi was doing and that his colleagues, Ahn and Jeong, were allegedly assisting her.

Some politicians suspect that Woo, a former prosecutor, gained Choi’s support when he was tapped for the presidential secretary position, and he informed her of the prosecution’s investigation plans.

Choi abruptly returned home from Germany where she was staying with her daughter, Sunday.

The prosecution did not immediately question her upon arrival and instead summoned her Monday; giving her enough time to destroy evidence and collude with other involved figures, according to observers.

Filing a false wealth report is another allegation facing Woo. He is accused of lying about the price of an expensive piece of land owned by his wife in his annual report to the government. High-profile civil servants are required to report their wealth regularly by law.

Woo is also facing allegations of embezzlement and breach of duty over the management of a company he owns with his wife.

An and Jeong are accused of pressuring companies to donate money to the Mir and K-Sports foundations, non-profit groups believed to have been set up and managed by Choi and her close associates. The two organizations raised approximately 80 billion won ($70 million) in a short period of time, and she allegedly funneled the money into her own pocket through paper companies in Korea and Germany.

As the prosecution investigation widens, calls are rising to include the President. On Sunday, the prosecution unsuccessfully made a second attempt to raid Cheong Wa Dae, where officials refused to let in a team of prosecutors citing state security concerns.

Instead, the presidential office handed over documents in seven boxes, which the prosecution requested, saying it would hand over more if asked to.

While the prosecution ruled out directly questioning the President citing a privilege of exemption from liability written into the Constitution, experts said excluding Park, who is at the center of the scandal, is unconstitutional.

“Although in office, Park, if facing a criminal charge, should comply with the investigation. The prosecution’s interpretation of the Constitution favors Park,” said Prof. Lim Ji-bong from Sogang University during an interview with the Munwha Ilbo, a Korean-language paper, Monday.

“The prosecution should hurry. If they wait, there will not be much evidence left.”