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Ex-Prime Minister Han refuses to be questioned in probe

Published: 10 Dec. 2009, 21:42

Han Myeong-sook

By Ko Sung-pyo, Im Jang-hyuk
Former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook refused to appear for questioning at the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office today to assist in an investigation of alleged graft involving a local businessman.

Prosecutors told Han to appear at the prosecutors’ office as a suspect in the case by 11 a.m.

She is suspected of receiving $50,000 from Kwak Young-wook, former CEO of Korea Express, in early 2007 in his bid to become the president of Korea South-East Power Co., an affiliate of the state-run Korea Electric Power Corporation.

“Han declined to be summoned because the probe is illegal and politically motivated,” said one of Han’s aides, who declined to be named.

Lee Hae-chan, the prime minister before Han, urged prosecutors and conservative media to stop “jointly planned” investigations into the case. Some opposition Democratic Party lawmakers, including Park Sang-cheon, Park Joo-sun and Song Young-gil, who are lawyers, decided to join the group of lawyers defending Han.

Meanwhile, prosecutors obtained testimony from Kwak that he gave a large sum of money in dollars to an unidentified aide of an influential figure in the opposition party.

Investigators also obtained statements that the money was given to the person to grant advantages in appointing him to a CEO post in a public firm. Prosecutors are trying to authenticate the statement.

Law enforcement officials are planning to summon the alleged receiver of the money and investigate into whether funds were delivered to another party figure.

The probe is the byproduct of an investigation into a suspected bribery network in the maritime industry. Earlier this year, former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Kang Moo-hyun was convicted of receiving bribes.

Prosecutors raided the Busan and Masan branches of Korea Express in September.

Lee Kook-dong, current president of Korea Express, was arrested and indicted on charges of creating and managing a network of slush funds worth 22.9 billion won ($19.7 million) since 2001. Kwak was indicted last month on charges of receiving 8.3 billion won of the embezzled money from Lee.

By Ko Sung-pyo, Im Jang-hyuk [[email protected]]