The allegations against him include bribery of some 11 billion won ($10.3 million) from the state spy agency, individuals and conglomerates, such as Samsung.

Former President Lee Myung-bak leaves the Seoul Central District Prosecutors` Office after questioning on March 15. Yonhap

The former president, who was in office from 2008 to 2013, is also viewed as the real owner of auto parts maker DAS, which has been involved in several irregularities, such as creating a slush fund totaling some 30 billion won.

In the 21-hour-long interrogation by the prosecution on Wednesday, Lee flatly denied his involvement in the wrongdoings, saying he was not aware of the incidents and that testimonies and evidence gathered by the prosecution have been fabricated.

Lee, however, admitted to receiving $100,000 from the state spy agency, which appears to have gone to his wife Kim Yoon-ok, but refused to reveal how the money was used.

Lee’s close aide Kim Paik-joon, who is currently standing trial over bribery linked to Lee, testified he received the illicit fund on behalf of Lee, and that the monk also appears to have admitted to his wrongdoing.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)

(Yonhap News TV capture)

As Lee has denied most of the allegations against him, the prosecution viewed him as at risk of destroying evidence. The allegations against him include bribery of some 11 billion won ($10.3 million) from the state spy agency, individuals and conglomerates, such as Samsung.

Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap)

The former president, who was in office from 2008 to 2013, is also viewed as the real owner of auto parts maker DAS, which has been involved in several irregularities, such as creating a slush fund totaling some 30 billion won.

In a 21-hour-long interrogation session that started Wednesday, Lee flatly denied his involvement in the wrongdoings, saying he was not aware of the incidents and that testimonies and evidence gathered by the prosecution have been fabricated.

If an arrest warrant is issued, it would be the first time that two former presidents are in detention, with Lee’s successor currently standing trial behind bars.

Ousted President Park Geun-hye was arrested on March 31 last year, 10 days after she was questioned by the prosecution over a massive influence-peddling scandal that led to her impeachment.

Lee was the fifth former president to be questioned by the prosecution.

Lee admitted to receiving $100,000 from the state spy agency, which appears to have gone to his wife Kim Yoon-ok, but refused to reveal how the money was used.

The prosecution has reportedly been looking into a fresh allegation that Lee received illicit funds from a Buddhist monk in exchange for solicitation.

Before the presidential election in December 2007, Lee allegedly obtained 200 million won from chief monk Jikwang, who sought for Lee’s influence in establishing a Buddhist university.

His close aide Kim Paik-joon, who is currently standing trial over bribery linked to Lee, testified he received the illicit fund on behalf of Lee, and that the monk also appears to have admitted to his wrongdoing.

Prosecutors are also considering summoning Lee’s wife, Kim Yoon-ok, as they suspect she received illegal funds worth 500 million won from a former chief of a bank, and embezzled 400 million won via a DAS corporate credit card for her private use.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)

Lee, president from 2008-2013, is suspected of taking about 11 billion won (US$10.3 million) in bribes from the state intelligence agency, businesses and others.

The 77-year-old is believed to be the real owner of DAS, an auto parts maker at the center of the scandal, through which he allegedly created 35 billion won in slush funds. On paper, the company belongs to his elder brother, Lee Sang-eun.

(Yonhap)

He is suspected of exerting power through government agencies to help a DAS lawsuit in the U.S. which was filed to recoup the company‘s investment, and of moving classified state documents to DAS’ warehouse.

Lee will likely be arraigned as early as Wednesday and the court is expected to make a decision that night or early Thursday.

If the warrant is issued, he will become the country‘s fourth former president to be arrested on criminal charges.

Prosecutors questioned Lee for 21 hours on Wednesday and Thursday.

The chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office reported the results of the investigation to Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il on Friday.

The prosecution said the decision to seek an arrest warrant was made because of the gravity of the allegations concerning Lee and the risk of him destroying evidence.

“We explained the unavoidable need for his arrest, and also that there is a great risk of him destroying evidence since he has denied even basic facts related to the allegations,” a prosecution official told reporters.

Prosecutors have been looking into fresh suspicions that Lee received about 200 million won in bribes ahead of the 2007 presidential election from a Buddhist monk seeking Lee‘s influence in establishing a Buddhist university.

Prosecutors had reportedly been pitching strongly for an arrest warrant in light of the seriousness of the case and concerns that Lee could attempt to destroy evidence or manipulate witnesses, as he denies most of the charges.

The chief prosecutor was said to be taking into consideration opposing views that Lee’s arrest wouldn‘t make a big difference and that it would be enough to indict him without physical detention because prosecutors have secured enough evidence.

The office of Lee’s aide released a statement later and refused to accept the prosecution‘s move.

“(The ex-president’s office) cannot accept the charges overlaid by the state prosecutors.”

The office also said Lee will “fight with full-fledged effort to get the truth out at court.” It said the request of his arrest warrant had been predicted, given the progress of what it described as “a state-led political scheme to kill Lee Myung-bak since the day the Moon Jae-in government assumed office.”

Lee has denounced the investigation as political retaliation by the administration of President Moon Jae-in over the death of late former President Roh Moo-hyun. Roh killed himself in 2009 when Lee was in office amid a corruption investigation that forced him to appear for questioning, a humiliation that many believe led to the suicide.

Lee‘s associates have claimed that the government of President Moon, a key Roh ally who served as Roh’s chief of staff, is trying to force the same humiliation back on Lee. Prosecutors and presidential officials flatly reject such claims.

Meanwhile, prosecutors are looking into whether to call in Lee‘s wife, Kim Yoon-ok, for questioning about suspicions that she took close to 1 billion won in illicit money from the state intelligence agency and others.

She also faces suspicion she received an Hermes bag containing$30,000 from a U.S.-based Korean businesswoman months before the 2007 presidential election.

When local media became aware of the issue later that year close to the election, Lee’s camp allegedly sought help from another Korean-American woman to handle the press here and the Korean community in the U.S. by paying her hush money and promising her business favors in return. (Yonhap)

Lee denied other corruption allegations against him and returned home in the early hours of Thursday, after a marathon overnight interrogation by the prosecution that had begun the previous morning.

Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap)

The prosecution suspects the National Intelligence Service secretly paid some 1.75 billion won from its audit-free “special activities” account to Lee and his presidential officials.

While Lee is unlikely to be summoned again, the prosecution will decide whether to request an arrest warrant for him next week, as he could be considered a risk for destroying evidence. They will also choose the date to indict him.

According to the law, the longest possible detention period is six months, which can be extended for another six months upon request by the prosecution on a different indictment.

If the warrant is issued, two former presidents will face trial in detention at the same time: Lee’s successor, ousted President Park Geun-hye was arrested on March 31 last year, 10 days after her questioning by the prosecution, over a massive influence-peddling scandal that led to her impeachment.

Lee appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office at 9:22 a.m. Wednesday for the interrogation, which lasted about 14 hours and 40 minutes. He then took 6 1/2 hours to review the statements compiled by the prosecutors and re-emerged from the office at about 6:25 a.m. Thursday.

Upon his return home, Lee told his waiting aides that he had managed the interrogation well and not to worry, his former presidential secretary Kim Hyo-jae said.

The former conservative leader, who was the first business executive to lead the country, from 2008 to 2013, faces some 20 criminal charges including bribery and embezzlement involving tens of billions of won. He is suspected of abuse of power and violating regulations concerning presidential records and the Public Official Election Act.

During the questioning, Lee denied ownership of the auto parts manufacturer DAS, which has been involved in a number of irregularities, such as allegedly creating a slush fund of 30 billion won ($28.2 million), according to the prosecution.

As the prosecution cited the statements and evidence it had gathered during investigation of related figures and family members, Lee rebutted, saying that people falsely testified to lighten their misdeeds, and claimed some of the reports were fabricated, a prosecutor told reporters.

Prosecutors suspect Samsung’s alleged payment of legal fees totaling 6 billion won owed by DAS to a US law firm was a kickback to the former president. Lee maintained that DAS is his elder brother Lee Sang-eun’s company, as is officially registered.

While Lee only partly admitted to bribery charges, the prosecution suspects he received illicit funds of some 5 billion won from the NIS and other individuals.

Under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, receiving bribes of 100 million won or more is subject to at least 10 years in jail. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

Lee maintained his innocence on other allegations as well, claiming he has no knowledge about the matter and that even if such things did occur, that they were done by working-level officials, according to a prosecutor.

Lee previously called the investigation “political revenge” by the current administration led by liberal President Moon Jae-in.

Before taking office, he was mayor of Seoul from 2002 to 2006, and served as a lawmaker in the 1990s, before stepping down in 1998 after being found guilty of an election law violation. Before entering politics, he was the chief executive of Hyundai Engineering and Construction from 1977 to 1992.

In a local poll Thursday, 79.5 percent of 500 respondents said that former President Lee should be strictly punished without consideration of his status as a former president, while 15.3 percent said he should be given preferential treatment.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)

Roh, who was in office from 2003-2008, was alleged to have received $6 million from a businessman while in office. Formerly a human-rights lawyer who fought against authoritarian regimes and corrupt politics, the allegations severely damaged Roh’s “clean” image.

About a month before his death, Roh was grilled for more than 10 hours by prosecutors. At the time of his death, he had been scheduled to appear for a second round of questioning by the prosecution the following week.

Former President Lee Myung-bak (far right) and his wife Kim Yoon-ok (left to Lee) attend the funeral of late President Roh Moo-hyun (his picture framed in the back) on May 29, 2009. (Yonhap)

Tens and thousands of mourners traveled to Bongha, a small rural town in South Gyeongsang Province where Roh lived after retirement, to pay their respects. All of a sudden, it seemed as if the corruption allegations against Roh and his family members never mattered.

Shortly after, 100 academics and cultural figures, including Catholic priest Ham Se-woong and then-Seoul National University professor Kim Se-kyun, publicly demanded that President Lee Myung-bak apologize for the “politically motivated” investigation, which they claimed was responsible for Roh’s death.

About nine years later, former President Lee Myung-bak seems to be in late Roh’s shoes.

Lee, who was summoned by the prosecution on Wednesday over some 20 charges, including multiple cases of bribery totaling millions of dollars, has argued that the ongoing investigation is “political revenge” against him by the current government, specifically for Roh’s death.

Former President Lee Myung-bak stands in the photo line at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office early in the morning for questioning Wednesday. (Yonhap)

In other words, Lee is repeating what Roh’s supporters claimed nine years ago — that the ongoing investigation is a “politically motivated” one.

Current liberal President Moon Jae-in was one of Roh’s closest aides and served as the ex-president’s lawyer when he was being investigated on corruption charges.

Until last year, Lee seemed to be leading a comfortable retirement as a fellow conservative, ousted ex-President Park Geun-hye, had succeeded him.

Indeed, there seems to be a pattern of former Korean presidents ending up in prison, or becoming a subject of criminal investigation, once their time in office is over and power is taken over by the rival party.

Some experts say what former President Lee characterized as “political revenge” is almost inevitable under the current political structure.

“I’m not saying Lee is innocent and all the accusations against him are false,” said political science professor Lee Chung-hee at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

He defined Korea’s current presidential system as an “imperial presidency,” where the president is almost as powerful as a monarch.

“But in the current structure, where all the power goes to the president and his or her control often exceeds the constitutional limits, corruption involving his or her aides or family members are inevitable. Most media and conglomerates are also very favorable toward the president only during his or her time in office. Once the power shifts, everything changes.”

Indeed, most investigations against former presidents in South Korea usually involved their closest aides or family members.

In the case of the late Roh, his brother Roh Gun-Pyeong, was indicted on the suspicion of influence peddling, while former first lady Kwon Yang-sook was also summoned for allegedly receiving a bribe from a businessman.

Lee, who is alleged to have committed multiple illicit deeds himself, including accumulating slush funds and being involved in stock price manipulation, also has his aides and family members facing possible investigation.

His wife, Kim Yoon-ok, was recently alleged to have illicitly spent millions of dollars overseas while being engaged in a government-funded project to promote Korean cuisine, among others.

A number of his former aides, including Lee Byung-mo and Kim Paik-joon, have been arrested as part of the probe. The homes of his brother have also been raided.

Ousted former President Park repeatedly emphasized that unlike most politicians, she has “no husband, parents nor children” to take care of, and that this made her an ideal candidate who could fully concentrate on state affairs.

But her relationship with Choi Soon-sil, her longtime confidante and secret “adviser” who was later charged for corruption and influence-peddling, played a large role in Park’s impeachment.

The now-ousted ex-President Park Geun-hye (left) and her friend and “advisor” Choi Soon-sil (right). (Yonhap)

Experts point out that the current South Korean Constitution does not grant adequate division of power, which makes the head of state — and those around him or her — vulnerable to corruption. The current system lacks “proper mechanisms to check and balance” state leaders, according to a study by the Stockholm-based Institute for Security and Development Policy.

“Deficits include the tendency of the president to control the National Assembly through the authoritarian party system; the lack of a fully impartial judiciary with its appointees nominated by the president; the inefficacy of congressional investigative powers as well as that of the prosecutor; and the lack of properly functioning Board of Audit and Inspection,” said researcher Kim Seon-hwa in the ISDP study.

Chae Jin-won, a professor at Humanitas College of Kyung Hee University, said the decentralization of powers — the dispersion of presidential powers and of the central government — could end this pattern of ex-presidents’ fall from grace.

“What we need is transparency and a system that consistently monitors the power (of the president),” Chae told The Korea Herald. “Ultimately — and somewhat ironically — this seems to be the only way for South Korean presidents to keep themselves safe from future criminal investigations once their terms are over.”

Meanwhile, some say former President Lee’s claims of political revenge are groundless, regardless of the structure of the Korean presidency.

Park Sang-byung, a political commentator, said that in order for Lee to claim that the ongoing probe is political revenge, all allegations against him first need to be proven false.

“But there are already so much evidence that Lee had been involved in many illicit affairs during his tenure,” Park told The Korea Herald. “There was no way that he was going to avoid questioning by the prosecution.

“By claiming that this is political revenge, Lee is only trying to seek the attention of his supporters, while finding a convenient excuse to deny the allegations,” he added.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)

Lee, who was in office from 2009 to 2013, faces nearly 20 criminal charges including receiving illicit funds of some 11 billion won ($10.3 million) from the state spy agency, individuals and corporates, including Samsung. The prosecution subpoenaed the ex-president after investigating corruption allegations involving numerous high-ranking figures, including his former presidential aides and his family members over the past five months.

Picture of the photoline taken on Tuesday, where Lee is expected to stand, before entering the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul. (Yonhap)

Three lawyers have registered to attend the interrogation to defend Lee. They are Kang Hoon, 64, a judge-turned-lawyer who also served as Lee’s former presidential legal assistant, Pi Young-hyun, 48, and Kim Byung-cheol, 43.

Lee stayed at home on Tuesday with his lawyers for a last-minute check, as fierce legal arguments are expected during the interrogation, according to Kim Hyo-jae, Lee’s former presidential senior secretary for political affairs.

The prosecution has reportedly been preparing some 100-page draft questionnaires for the interrogation of the former state chief.

“It is essential to investigate Lee in order to uncover the truth in a transparent and efficient way,” a prosecution official said, when it subpoenaed Lee last Tuesday. “We’re not considering calling him in for questioning multiple times.”

While it is a typical practice to end a prosecutorial probe as late as before midnight, some expect the interrogation session to continue to the next day as Lee apparently has prepared to defend himself.

Lee has insisted that the prosecution’s investigation is “political revenge” by the liberal Moon Jae-in administration, and has denied all charges against him. As for Wednesday’s interrogation, he is also expected to maintain his innocence.

Over the controversial auto parts maker DAS — which belongs to Lee’s eldest brother Lee Sang-eun on paper — the prosecution has concluded that former President Lee is the real owner after obtaining testimonies from related figures including his nephew Lee Dong-hyung, Lee Sang-eun’s son. The prosecution holds Lee accountable for many irregularities surrounding the auto parts manufacturer, including the creation of a slush fund totaling some 30 billion won.

The ex-president, however, denies the allegation and insists that the prosecution does not have any solid evidence, and that he does not own any share of the company.

As for the $5 million litigation fee that Samsung Electronics allegedly paid to law firm Akin Gump between 2007 and 2009 on behalf of DAS, the prosecution sees it as a kickback to the former president. Lee is likely to fight back, saying he was not aware of the involvement of Samsung in the first place.

While several former Cheong Wa Dae officials are suspected of having received illicit funds from the National Intelligence Service during the Lee administration, the prosecution has identified Lee as the “main culprit” and holds him accountable for the bribery totaling 1.75 billion won.

Lee is expected to maintain that he has no knowledge of the illicit funds involving the nation’s spy agency, but prosecutors said it may be difficult for him to prove his innocence, as his close aides have testified that they received the money under Lee’s instructions.

As for other suspicions over bribery in return for favors, Lee is also expected to deny his involvement, as he says he was not aware of such money transfers to him or his associates.

He is suspected of having received some 2.25 billion won from Lee Pal-sung between 2007 and 2011 in return for his appointment as chairman of Woori Finance Holdings, and also accepting 500 million won from Daebo Group and 400 million won from a former lawmaker in exchange for business and election favors.

Under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, receiving bribes of 100 million won or more is subject to at least 10 years in jail. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)

The prosecution on Sunday questioned Lee’s son-in-law Lee Sang-joo, former Vice Minister of Knowledge Economy Park Young-joon and the chief of Lee’s Cheonggye Foundation Song Jung-ho as suspects over their alleged involvement in receiving illicit funds on behalf of the former president mostly during his 2008-2013 term.

Following five months of investigation, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office subpoenaed the ex-president to appear at the office Wednesday for interrogation as a suspect.

Tripods are placed in front of former President Lee Myung-bak’s office in Daechi-dong, southern Seoul, as reporters await his arrival Monday morning. (Yonhap)

Lee faces nearly 20 charges, including violation of the election law and the law on management of presidential records.

Lee is suspected of having received some 11 billion won ($10.3 million) in illegal funds from the state spy agency, individuals and businesses, including Samsung.

The prosecution believes the National Intelligence Service paid some 1.75 billion won from its audit-free “special activities” account to former Cheong Wa Dae officials during the Lee administration.

Having identified Lee as the “main culprit” of bribery when it indicted one of his key aides Kim Paik-joon last month for receiving illicit funds from the NIS, the prosecution is likely to hold Lee accountable for most of the NIS funds that were channeled to his presidential office.

Prosecutors also see the $5 million in litigation fees that Samsung Electronics allegedly paid between 2007 and 2009 on behalf of DAS, an auto parts manufacturer controlled by Lee’s brother, as a kickback to the former president. The prosecution said it had found evidence that Samsung paid the fees DAS owed to law firm Akin Gump for handling its lawsuit aimed at recouping investment from a US-based investment advisory firm BBK.

Lee is also suspected of receiving, through his brother Lee Sang-deuk and his son-in-law, some 2.25 billion won from Lee Pal-sung between 2007 and 2011 in return for getting him appointed as chairman of Woori Finance Holdings.

The former president also allegedly accepted 500 million won from Daebo Group, which runs rest areas on expressways, in exchange for business favors, and 400 million won from former lawmaker Kim So-nam for the ruling party’s nomination in the 2008 parliamentary election.

Under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, receiving bribes of 100 million won or more is subject to at least 10 years in jail. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

Regarding the bribery charges, Lee said that he was not aware of any money transfers to him or his associates. He called the prosecution’s investigation “political revenge” by the Moon Jae-in administration.

Lee is also accused of abusing his power to get the presidential office and the Foreign Ministry to help DAS recover its 14 billion won investment in BBK, which was run by his former business partner Kim Kyung-joon.

Having concluded that the former president is the real owner of DAS, the prosecution is expected to ask him to explain the irregularities at DAS, including the amassing of slush funds totaling some 30 billion won. Prosecutors have found that billions of won from the secret funds were used as Lee’s campaign money during the 2007 presidential election.

Prosecutors are also likely to question Lee over why presidential records, which should have been placed at the National Archives as required by the law, were found in the storage of DAS, and allegations that he evaded tax by holding property and savings under borrowed names.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)

During a raid of DAS, an auto parts manufacturer owned by Lee’s brother, in late January, prosecutors seized documents from Lee’s presidential office found in the basement storage. The prosecution has been looking into allegations that DAS ran slush funds for the former president.

As the presidential files should have been stored in the Presidential Archives by law, the prosecution was issued an additional search warrant for a possible violation of the law on management of presidential records.

(Yonhap)

Leaking or hiding of presidential records is subject to a jail term of up to seven years.

Lee’s aides said the presidential files got mixed up with Lee’s personal belongings by mistake during packing at Cheong Wa Dae at the end of Lee’s term. They requested the prosecution to send the documents to the National Archives.

Lee’s aides claim that the prosecution violated the law by not sending the presidential files straight to the Presidential Archives to use them as material for investigation.

The administrative lawsuit filed last week calls on the court to confirm the illegality of the prosecution’s nonfeasance.

“The warrant the prosecution received from the court was related to the investigation of DAS,” Lee’s aides said in a press release in early February.

“Once they confirm they have confiscated an item that is not related to this purpose, they should immediately return it to its owner, or in this case, to the director of the Presidential Archives under the law on presidential records.”

The prosecution rejected their demand, saying that the fact the presidential files were kept in the storage of DAS, which Lee claims had nothing to do with his presidential office, shows that they have significance as evidence.

The documents were found in the basement of a Seoul building owned by Lee’s Cheonggye Foundation where DAS rents office and storage space. Prosecutors reportedly found records of Lee’s hidden assets and transactions between Lee and DAS in the storage.

Prosecutors on Thursday interrogated the former president’s elder brother and DAS chairman Lee Sang-eun over various suspicions surrounding DAS.

Lee Sang-eun denied any connection between DAS and his brother in response to reporters’ questions as he left the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office Thursday night.

The former president is expected to be summoned for questioning later this month.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)

“It is clear that the investigations into Cheong Wa Dae officials and government officials who worked with me have been aimed at me from the very beginning,” Lee said, describing the investigations into alleged wrongdoings of past administrations as “political plots, revenge for the death of President Roh Moo-hyun.” Roh, a political mentor and close friend of President Moon, took his own life in 2009 while a corruption investigation was ongoing.

Former President Lee Myung-bak announces his position on investigations involving his former aides in Seoul on Wednesday. Yonhap

“The final responsibility for everything that happened during my term lies with me. Do not harass the civil servants who dedicated themselves to the nation, and question me. That is my position.”

The prosecutors’ office did not immediately react to Lee’s statement, with Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il saying simply that his organization will handle the issue “according to legal procedures.”

Earlier in the day, officials from the office had directly refuted accusations of political revenge, and said they were conducting the investigations according to prearranged plans.

Lee’s statement came just as a number of investigations into alleged wrongdoings committed during his presidency appeared closer than ever to directly involve the former conservative leader.

Lee’s aides, and Lee by association, have been implicated in a number of corruption investigations launched since Moon took office in May last year.

In the case involving the auto parts maker DAS, investigators raided the office of another parts maker, IM, and homes of an undisclosed number of company’s officials.

Lee’s eldest brother Lee Sang-eun is the official majority shareholder of DAS, but it has been alleged the former president is the real owner of the company. The elder Lee is also the majority owner of IM.

DAS is suspected of operating a 12 billion won ($11.2 million) slush fund under dozens of borrowed names. It has also been alleged that state agencies helped DAS recoup a 14 billion won investment in an investment advisory firm set up by a one-time business partner of the former president during Lee’s presidency.

Meanwhile, an unrelated investigation has been turning up evidence implicating Lee Myung-bak in alleged misuse of the National Intelligence Service budget.

The investigation was launched after the NIS reform committee alleged that NIS funds were funneled into Cheong Wa Dae during former President Park Geun-hye’s term. The investigation has since led to the arrest of former NIS chiefs Nam Jae-joon and Lee Byung-ki.

The expanding probe led to the arrests of two of Lee Myung-bak’s former aides — Kim Jin-mo and Kim Paik-joon — on Wednesday.

Having served as an aide to Lee Myung-bak for over 40 years, Kim Paik-joon has sometimes been referred to as the former president’s butler. He served as senior secretary for administrative affairs to Lee between 2008 and 2012. Kim Jin-mo served as a civil affairs secretary from 2009 to 2011.

Kim Paik-joon is accused of receiving 400 million won in total from the NIS in 2008 and 2010, according to prosecutors.

He denies the allegations, but media reports claiming that former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon, under arrest in a separate case, confessed to handing over 200 million won to Kim have emerged. According to reports citing unnamed judiciary sources, Won told prosecutors that he ordered the money to be handed over at Kim’s request in 2010.

The investigators are said to have secured a similar testimony from Kim Ju-seong, a former Kolon Group official who headed the NIS’ coordination department under Lee.

According to reports, Kim Ju-seong told investigators that he first received the request for money in 2008, and similar requests continued despite his raising concerns in a one-on-one meeting with Lee.

As for Kim Jin-mo, he is accused of using 50 million won of NIS funds to silence controversy surrounding civilians unlawfully surveilled by the Lee Myung-bak administration.

By He-suk Choi

(Korea Herald)