Chain of Allegations Takes a New Turn

Roh Kwan-kyu, an aide to Han Kwang-ok, chairman of the governing Millennium Democratic Party, received 20 million won ($15,400) from a complainant in the case against the president of a technology firm accused of attempted larceny, the opposition Grand National Party said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the main opposition party alleged that Representative Lee Sang-soo, the ruling party floor leader, pressured prosecutors to release Seo Seung-mo, the president of C&S , who is being held for attempting to steal shares from a C&S shareholder, identified only as Mr. Park Organized crime leaders were said to have been involved in the solicitation for help.

Mr. Lee was Mr. Seo's legal counsel.

An opposition lawmaker said Mr. Roh received the money from Mr. Park in return for working to arrest the C&S president.

The lawmaker said Mr. Roh hurriedly returned the money to Mr. Park on Tuesday immediately after the opposition party's allegations of the ruling party floor leader's involvement in the stock dispute.

Mr. Roh said he was introduced to Mr. Park through a friend from Mr. Roh's hometown and that Mr. Park asked him for advice on how to deal with the prosecutors' investigation.

Mr. Roh contended that Mr. Park gave him the money, saying that the aide was struggling with his case because he was not a lawmaker in the National Assembly.

In addition to being an aide to the ruling party chairman, Mr. Roh is the head of the ruling party's Gangdong A electoral district in Seoul; he was defeated in a contest for that district's seat during the last general election.

Internal auditors at the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office began investigating allegations that Kim Jin-tae, the prosecutor who handled the C&S stock dispute in February, had an unusually close relationship with Mr. Park, the plaintiff in the case. Mr. Kim resigned his post Wednesday.

One of the auditors said they were trying to confirm the contents of Mr. Park's tape-recording of his conversation with Mr. Kim in which Mr. Park allegedly suggests he bribed Mr. Kim.

Representative Lee Won-hyung of the opposition party made the tape recording public.

"My intention in revealing the tape is to urge prosecutors to thoroughly investigate this matter along with other corruption allegations involving ruling party officials," Mr. Lee said.

He said he also has in his possession evidence of Mr. Seo's efforts to lobby prosecutors in the case.

Chang Kwang-keun, senior deputy spokesman for the opposition party, said that for Mr. Lee, the ruling party floor leader, to work as Mr. Seo's legal counsel without submitting his credentials to the court was an abuse of authority.

by Lee Soo-ho