General said to take cash from officer seeking rank

An army general was arrested on charges of accepting bribes from a junior officer who was seeking quick promotion, the army’s investigation headquarters said yesterday.
According to the army, a brigadier general, identified by the surname Yu, was arrested Thursday on charges of taking 50 million won ($40,663) in bribes from the officer. A lieutenant colonel, identified by the surname Kim, allegedly paid the money last June 28, with a request for a recommendation of promotion.
After receiving the alleged bribe, General Yu is said to have invested 40 million won in a company owned by his son. The general gave a depository receipt from the firm, for 50 million won, to Colonel Kim three months later, just before the army released the list of promoted officers, the army investigation team said.
Colonel Kim was not promoted. After the value of the firm’s stock plummeted, Col-onel Kim reportedly demanded that General Yu return the cash.
General Yu denied requesting Colonel Kim’s promotion in exchange for the money.
“We began the probe after receiving reports that Colonel Kim was complaining about failing to get a promotion after paying a large sum,” Hong Jong-seol, chief army investigator, said.

by Lee Chul-hee