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Former President Lee Myung-bak coughs during a press conference held on Jan. 17. Lee has claimed that the prosecutorial investigation against him is, “political retribution.”
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A summons for the former president may be issued this week by investigators
Prosecutors raided the homes of two of former president Lee Myung-bak’s close associates and summoned both men for immediate questioning on Mar. 5 in what analysts are viewing as a final effort to establish firm charges against the former president. The nature of the search and seizure effort on the homes of Sejoong Namo chairman Chun Shin-il and former Korea Communications Commission (KCC) chairman Choi See-jong has led to speculation that a summons for Lee appears inevitable in the prosecutors’ investigation. Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il remained cautious when asked on his way to work the same morning if he was receiving a report this week on the Lee investigation. “Nothing has been decided yet,” Moon replied. But many in and around the prosecutors believe the summons schedule and other details will emerge with a weekly report this week by Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office chief Yoon Seok-yeol. The investigation team is also speeding up its preparations to investigate Lee himself. Prosecutors have obtained detailed statements on Lee’s acceptance of National Intelligence Service (NIS) special activity funds not only from the NIS but also from former Blue House general affairs and planning secretary Kim Baek-joon, who delivered the funds. The argument that such payments were “customary” is failing to gain traction, as the indictment of former President Park Geun-hye on the same charges shows. Lee’s ethical image also took a severe hit with revelations that he accepted payments from private companies while in office. The prosecutors’ addition of Chun Shin-il and Choi See-joong as investigation targets on Mar. 5 was seen as part of a strategy to prepare for future stonewalling tactics from Lee as the investigation progresses by establishing their role in the former president’s acceptance of money from the Daebo Group, former Woori Financial Group chairman Lee Pal-sung, and former Saenuri Party lawmaker Kim So-nam. Sources reported that prosecutors have internally established a certain amount of embezzled funds from DAS, an automobile parts company established to be under Lee’s practical ownership. They are reportedly mulling now whether to question Lee on the basis of the tens of millions of dollars in embezzled funds established to date, with additional investigating to wait until after his questioning. Arrest warrant likely to follow any questioning of Lee The prosecutors’ confidence in their ability to prove the charges suggests a strong likelihood they will request an arrest warrant for Lee immediately after questioning. The prediction is supported by the large amount of bribes Lee has been identified as allegedly accepting to date – totaling over 10 billion won (US$9.3 million) – and his denial of all charges so far. Publicly, the prosecutors have avoided specifics, saying only that they are “following the conventional system for handling cases.” But a source with the prosecutors said, “In light of painful past precedents, the summons date and arrest warrant request matters are to be decided as quickly as possible.” The statement was a reference to the investigation of former President Roh Moo-hyun. Prosecutors summoned Roh for questioning on Apr. 30, 2009, but made no decision on whether to detain him, adding to the mounting psychological pressure over the 24 days leading up to his death by suicide the following May 23. Critics claimed that Roh had been placed in an extreme situation as a result of the inaction. By Seo Young-ji, staff reporter Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
