Laundering suspect reported in Korea

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Laundering suspect reported in Korea

Contrary to earlier reports that he had left the country in March, the former arms dealer suspected of laundering Hyundai money for former President Kim Dae-jung’s chief of staff was in Seoul in May, a witness said yesterday.
Kim Yeong-wan, 50, allegedly laundered 15 billion won ($12.5 million) in bribe money that Park Jie-won, the former Blue House chief of staff, is suspected of receiving from Hyundai Group. Mr. Kim gained media attention recently because of a robbery of 10 billion won from his house in March last year that was not disclosed publicly for 15 months.
Immediately after the National Assembly approved the bill to name an independent counsel to investigate the cash-for-summit allegations in March, Mr. Kim departed for the United States, the immigration authority’s record showed. Mr. Kim, a U.S. passport holder, apparently traveled in and out of Korea until recently, according to a witness.
Mr. Kim’s former chauffeur told the JoongAng Ilbo yesterday that he had met Mr. Kim in mid-May. “I met Mr. Kim around 8 a.m. on a mountain path behind Mr. Kim’s house in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno district, Seoul,” the former driver said. At that time, Mr. Kim was coming down from the mountain, wearing khakis and sneakers, the driver said. The driver said Mr. Kim soon departed in a Mercedes-Benz, driven by another chauffeur who worked for him.
The departure timing of Mr. Kim and his family raised suspicions that he was involved in money laundering for Mr. Park. While Mr. Kim’s travel records do not match the witness’s assertion that he was here in May, it is confirmed that his wife and two children left the country earlier this month. The prosecution ordered Sunday that it be notified immediately should Mr. Kim return.


by Yoon Chang-hee, Lee Chul-jae
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