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February 25, 2008
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| Days after the Independent Counsel team cleared President Lee Myung-bak of a series of corruption allegations, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office has taken aim at Lee’s political rivals from the United Democratic Party. The prosecutors’ office announced yesterday that Chung Bong-ju, a member of the United Democratic Party, has been indicted without detention on Friday for election law violations during the presidential campaign. Chung claimed that Lee had colluded with his one-time business partner, Kim Kyung-joon, in an investment fraud involving the failed financial firm BBK. “Chung was charged after he circulated allegations that Lee was involved in financial scandals, including stock price manipulation and embezzlement,” said an official on the case who declined to be named. Prosecutors also said they will decide soon whether to punish other members of the UDP. The list includes a former candidate for the presidency, Chung Dong-young, and other incumbent National Assembly representatives, Park Young-sun and Suh Hae-suk, for giving false information to voters about Lee Myung-bak. The Grand National Party filed several lawsuits against them last year. “We demanded they be present at the prosecutors’ office, but their lawyers responded that they will send a written statement instead of attending,” said an official who declined to be named. “After reviewing the statements quickly, we will make a final decision on punishing them.” If the UDP members are convicted, they can be sentenced to a maximum seven year’s imprisonment and fined up to 5 million won ($5,271). Also, they can be discharged from their positions and banned from running in the legislative elections on April 9. Independent Counsel Chung Ho-young announced last week that his team found the president not guilty of real estate speculation, fraud and stock manipulation, among other accusations. With a 38-day probe ordered by the National Assembly, Chung’s team found no evidence to link Lee to massive investment fraud involving BBK. The special team also cleared Lee of the accusation that he was the owner of DAS, an auto parts company that made a large investment in BBK. Lee was also cleared of allegations that he had hidden various assets under other people’s names, including suspicion that he was the real owner of an expensive piece of land in southern Seoul, and that he benefited from its sale. By Jung Hyo-sik JoongAng Ilbo [enational@joongang.co.kr] |
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