Ex-Gwangju mayor faces questioning over fraud scandal

By Jung Hae-myoung

Former Gwangju Mayor Yoon Jang-hyun

The prosecution is accelerating its investigation into former Gwangju Mayor Yoon Jang-hyun's alleged Election Law violation and influence peddling, as he returned to Korea on Sunday from a trip to Nepal.

Upon arriving at Incheon International Airport early in the morning, Yoon told the press, “I will explain in detail at the prosecution's office, and take responsibility if necessary.”

At the airport, investigators from the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office confiscated his mobile phone and told Yoon to be present for questioning at the prosecution's office at 10 a.m. on Monday.

Yoon, 69, sent 450 million won ($400,000) to a scammer who claimed to be former first lady Kwon Yang-sook, the widow of former President Roh Moo-hyun.

The scammer, a 49-year-old woman surnamed Kim, sent the same message to 10 politicians, but Yoon was the only one who was fooled. To send the huge amount of money, he even took out a loan of 350 million won from two banks and borrowed the remaining 100 million won from an acquaintance.

The prosecution is investigating why he did so ― he sent the money when he was facing competition for party nominations in the June local elections, and if the money was sent as a kickback to curry favor with Roh's former aides within the party, Yoon could be charged with violating the Election Law.

Yoon claimed the scammer pretending to be Kwon said she needed the money urgently for her daughter and he just wanted to help. “No one would loan millions of won with a real name to bribe someone for nomination. I was deceived by the person after hearing her difficult situation,” he told a local daily.

Kim also allegedly sought Yoon's help for her own children, who she said were Roh's children born out of wedlock.

She allegedly visited his office disguised as a foster mother of Roh's children and requested their employment.

“My thoughts were paralyzed from the moment I heard they were Roh's children out of wedlock. I became foolish and only thought I should guard and embrace them,” Yoon told the daily.

With Yoon's influence, Kim's son worked for seven months temporarily at Gwangju City-affiliated Kimdaejung Convention Center until October, while the daughter worked at a private middle school until Dec. 5.

If the allegations are true, Yoon could be accused of exercising influence and interfering with the business of the institutions. The prosecution searched five locations related to the convention center and the school.

Prosecutors arrested Kim in November and indicted her on Friday for fraud charges.

When the allegations were made public, Yoon was participating in a medical volunteer activity in Nepal. He was initially supposed to return on Nov. 21, but he stayed there longer, telling the prosecution he could not respond to the request for summons because he was staying abroad.