Warrant charging bribery filed against key MDP aide

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Warrant charging bribery filed against key MDP aide

The Seoul District Prosecutors Office on Friday filed a detention warrant charging a former adviser of the Millennium Democratic Party, Kwon Roh-kap, with accepting a bribe.

The office said that Mr. Kwon had taken 50 million won ($38,000) from Chin Seung-hyun, a businessman convicted last year of manipulating the stock market and obtaining illegal loans in 2000.

Kim Eun-seong, the former head of domestic intelligence, is said to have delivered the money to Mr. Kwon on behalf of Mr. Chin. The prosecution argued that the purpose of the money was to impede an investigation of Mr. Chin by the National Supervisory Service.

During a hearing at the Seoul District Court, Mr. Kwon through his lawyer denied the bribery allegation.

The prosecution earlier acquired testimony from Mr. Chin that on another occasion he sent 50 million won via Choi Taek-gon, a former political operative of the ruling party, to Mr. Kwon in March 2000. However, the prosecution did not introduce this testimony during the hearing, saying that additional investigation was needed.

As another high-ranking official with the National Intelligence Service was implicated in accepting bribes from Mr. Chin, the prosecution said it was looking into the possibility that the money may have been delivered to the ruling Millennium Democratic Party for political use.

On Thursday, a former intelligence officer, Chung Sung-hong, testified to illegal money transactions allegedly ordered by an unnamed senior officer in 2000.

Considering that several intelligence officials, including Mr. Kim, have been linked to several financial scandals involving start-up firms, the prosecution plans to inquire whether the service was shaking down the firms for political funds.

Another investigating team at the Seoul District Court said it would summon two representatives from the ruling party, Kim Keun-tae and Chung Dong-young, next week. Mr. Kim has admitted failing to report 240 million won he received in political donations.

by Kim Seung-hyun

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