Ex-vice minister faces 3rd probe

Chung Han-joong, acting chairman of a review panel under the Ministry of Justice, speaks about the travel ban imposed on former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui, during the panel's meeting at a government complex building in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Yonhap

By Kim Jae-heun

Former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui is facing a third investigation into a sex scandal that has been expanded to include other allegations such as abuse of power.

This time, the prosecution is investigating an allegation that Kim took kickbacks from a developer, a suspicion the previous two probes did not address.

A truth-finding panel under the Ministry of Justice recommended the re-investigation, Monday, into the allegations surrounding Kim which first emerged in 2013 when he was tapped for the vice minister position.

The recommendation came three days after Kim attempted to leave the country Friday night. He was prevented from doing so due to an overseas travel ban that had been quickly put in place by the prosecution.

In ordering the travel ban, prosecutors cited the bribery allegation, adding they had obtained testimony from building contractor Yoon Jung-cheon who allegedly provided sex partners for Kim at his remote holiday villa in Wonju, Gangwon Province between 2007 and 2008.

During questioning, Yoon reportedly said he had also given tens of millions of won to Kim, but claimed this was not in exchange for business favors.

If the amount of money and monetary value of other “gifts” exceeds 100 million won, the former vice minister could be sent for trial and if found guilty face punishment, as this extends the statute of limitations for bribery to 15 years. Yoon also admitted that he had provided women for sex with Kim.

During a previous investigation in 2013, a woman who said she was at a sex party with Yoon and Kim claimed to have witnessed money changing hands. However, prosecutors at the time ignored this testimony.

If only the allegation of the provision of sexual services is considered, Kim would not face atrial as the five-year statute of limitations has passed.

Prosecutors are not looking into the allegation that he raped a woman with other participants at the sex party because they require new evidence after the two previous investigations dropped the charges, despite the statute of limitations being 15 years. They will, however, look into the fresh allegation that the former Park Geun-hye administration interfered with the police and prosecution's investigations of Kim in 2013 and 2014.

The truth panel specifically recommended questioning then-senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Kwak Sang-do, now an opposition lawmaker, and another former lower ranking official.

A local broadcaster KBS reported Saturday that when police were investigating the sex scandal in March 2013, Cheong Wa Dae pressured them to stop the investigation, as it was planning to appoint Kim as vice justice minister days later.

Kim resigned from his post just six days after being appointed, when the sex scandal was made public.

A month after the scandal, all investigators from the police team dealing with Kim's case were replaced. It is alleged that Cheong Wa Dae officials abused their power to do this in order to interfere with the investigation.