Prosecutors plan to summon Rep. Chung Doo-un of the ruling Saenuri Party on Thursday for questioning over his alleged involvement in a snowballing bank-lobbying scandal, officials said Tuesday.

Chung is alleged to have received 30 million won ($26,385) from Lim Suk, the chairman of Solomon Savings Bank, after introducing him to Lee Sang-deuk, President Lee Myung-bak’s elder brother.

Chung has denied the allegations.

The elder Lee was questioned on Tuesday on suspicion that he took some 500 million won from Lim and Kim Chan-kyong, chairman of Mirae Mutual Savings Bank, from late 2007. They allegedly asked him to use his influence to prevent the banks from being suspended.

A number of troubled savings banks have been suspended since last year due to capital shortages. Some were found to have illicitly lobbied influential politicians to avoid punishment.

The financial authorities have inspected local savings banks to weed out unviable ones that failed to meet regulatory capital requirements.

(sshluck@heraldcorp.com)