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Gifts that a businessman gave to a Blue House official in exchange for investment opportunities. The official returned the gifts after the businessman divulged the story.
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Gifts were in exchange for business introductions
A high-ranking official of the presidential office was found to have been involved in influence-peddling, according to sources inside the Blue House. The official, a member of the presidential security service, was given luxury clothes and a notebook computer amounting to nearly W10 million (about US$10,417) by a businessman in exchange for an introduction for business dealings. The official is also suspected to have let the same businessman pitch in W8 million on the price of his new car. The official, Kim, 47, came to know the businessman May last year through his acquaintance Hwang, the manager of an auto shop. When the businessman, Ok, expressed his wish to Kim of taking part in planning a Hallyu (Korean wave) festival in India, Kim introduced Ok to an ambassador to India through e-mail. After that introduction, Kim received presents from Ok such as foreign-made luxury clothes, a laptop, and a mobile phone. Kim also purchased a car costing about 21 million won after receiving a phone call from Hwang, who encouraged Kim to replace his old car with a new one. However, Kim only paid W13 million and drove the car for six months without paying the W8 million remaining on the sale. During the period, Ok got a bill for the remainder. Regarding this, Kim said, “I repeatedly asked Hwang to send me the bill, but he didn't reply. Shortly after knowing that Hwang gave the bill to Ok, I paid back the money.” In connection with the expensive presents, “I just received them without knowing they were so expensive,” Kim said.Kim's influence-peddling was brought to light when the Hallyu festival in India proved a failure. After Ok made a petition to the Blue House regarding his transactions with Kim, Kim returned all the presents to Ok on September 7.
