Ex-finance minister grilled over bribery

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, October 3, 2023 | 05:49

Politics

Ex-finance minister grilled over bribery

Posted : 2017-12-06 16:14

Updated : 2017-12-06 19:50

Choi Kyung-hwan

By Lee Kyung-min

Former Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan is facing intense questioning by prosecutors over allegations that he received 100 million won ($91,000) from the state intelligence agency in return for exerting undue influence to increase its budget.
Rep. Choi of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) doubled as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs under former President Park Geun-hye.

Before entering the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Wednesday, he refused to answer whether he still denied the allegations, but maintained that he never received the money. He only repeated that he would tell the prosecutors everything.
"I will tell the truth to the prosecution. I will explain what I think I was unfairly accused of," he told reporters.
Wednesday's appearance followed his repeated refusal to submit to questioning citing his "official duty as a lawmaker," among other excuses.

Prosecutors believe he exerted influence within the finance ministry not to cut the "special activity" fund allocated to the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The assessment followed earlier questioning of former NIS chief Lee Byung-kee who admitted to giving the money to Choi.

The prosecution said the NIS decided to give the cash to the top official because he had full discretion to dismiss the then-opposition party's growing calls to reduce what it claimed was a convenient way for public officials to use taxpayers' money for personal expenses.
Those who use the "special activity fund" granted for activities that require confidentiality, do not have to write a report or submit receipts to specify what they spent it on.

Earlier, three former NIS chiefs including Lee Byung-kee, Nam Jae-joon and Lee Byeong-ho were questioned over NIS-related bribery allegations.
The three are suspected of paying 4 billion won from the agency's special funds to Park's former presidential secretaries _ Ahn Bong-geun, Lee Jae-man and Jeong Ho-seong.

Nam was under suspicion that while he was serving as spy chief, he pressured Hyundai Motors to cough up 2.6 billion won to fund conservative advocacy groups that held pro-government and pro-business rallies.
Lee Byung-kee is suspected of increasing the monthly payment to Cheong Wa Dae to 100 million won, double the amount under his predecessor Nam who gave 50 million won a month.
Lee Byeong-ho is suspected of misappropriating 500 million won in agency funds in conducting opinion polls to determine the viability of a Park-loyalist running for the then upcoming general election.

lkm@ktimes.com