Ex-vice minister Park summoned in snowballing corruption scandal involving Lee’s associates


Prosecutors will question former Vice Knowledge Economy Minister Park Young-joon on Wednesday after reportedly securing evidence that he received bribes from a construction contractor, possibly through the bank account of an acquaintance.

Park, nicknamed the “king’s man” for his close ties with President Lee Myung-bak, is one of two key figures embroiled in a bribery scandal considered to be one of the prosecutors’ last-ditch swings at the incumbent government leaving office next February.

Choi See-joong, who is President Lee’s purported political mentor, was arrested late Monday night on charges of accepting about 800 million won ($700,000) from a broker some five years ago in return for leveraging his influence in getting a complex construction named Picity approved by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

The Seoul District Central Court approved Choi’s arrest, citing ample evidence supporting the bribery charge against the former telecommunications and broadcasting regulator, and the risk of an attempt to destroy evidence.

According to the prosecutors, Choi received money on 13 different occasions from Picity’s then-representative Lee Jeong-bae between July 2006 and February 2008.

If found guilty, Choi could face up to five years in prison or be fined up to 10 million won.

Choi’s arrest is likely to spur the prosecutors’ investigation and also potentially implicate the urban planning committee of Seoul City, which approved the use of land in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul, for Picity’s shopping and distribution complex in 2005.

“Something is very wrong here,” Choi was quoted as saying before being taken into custody.

The prosecutors, in the meantime, conducted a search and seizure on four offices of Lee Dong-jo, the president of contractor JE&T and a long-time acquaintance of Park, over the weekend.

The prosecutors deem it highly likely that Park used the bank accounts connected to Lee Dong-jo in accepting money from Picity’s broker Lee Dong-ryul, local news reports said.

Park is suspected of receiving about 100 million won through broker Lee in 2007.

The broker, currently under arrest, allegedly acted as a middle man for Lee Jeong-bae to entice Choi and Park for favors, utilizing his close relations with Choi, with whom he grew up in the same hometown of Pohang.

The broker reportedly testified that Park introduced him to Lee Dong-jo, who is also likely to face prosecutors’ summons once he returns from his trip to China, according to news reports.

Lee Dong-jo is said to be a well-known business man in Pohang, where he has been socially active as the president of an alumni association of Pohang High School and a chairman of a supporters’ association for professional soccer team Pohang Steelers. JE&T, established in 2000 is a subcontractor for POSCO which was chosen as the new constructor for the Picity complex earlier this year. Park and Lee Dong-jo are said to have become acquainted around 2000 when Lee was a regional member of the then-Grand National Party, a precursor to the Saenuri Party. Park was an aide to Rep. Lee Sang-deuk, President Lee’s older brother, at the time.

Prosecutors plan to zero in on Park over the amount and use of the money he received from Lee Jeong-bae through broker Lee, and whether it was for any favors.

Park, who served as presidential secretary on planning and coordination as well as deputy prime minister during the incumbent administration, has been embroiled in various scandals, including an allegation by opposition parties that he played an important role in the controversial surveillance of civilians by the government, currently under investigation.

Park was also investigated earlier on suspicion that he was gifted with a lavish drinking party by SLS chairman Lee Kuk-chul, but was cleared of charges.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)