The elder brother of former President Lee Myung-bak has been summoned Friday for questioning over alleged influence-peddling involving South Korea’s top steelmaker POSCO.
Lee Sang-deuk, a former six-term lawmaker, appeared before the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
The elder Lee is suspected of peddling his influence over the authorities of POSCO in return for landing business contracts for TM Tech, a local company owned by his close acquaintance, known only by his surname Park.
Prosecutors suspect the elder Lee could have gained personal profit from dividends Park received worth about 2 billion won($1.6 million) from TM Tech. Park is a major shareholder of the company.
“I came here not knowing why I should be here. I cannot answer the questions you ask,” Lee told reporters before entering the prosecutors’ office.
He flatly denied allegations that he is involved in landing contracts for TM Tech or that he used some of the money for his political funds.
It has been three years since Lee was last summoned by prosecutors in 2012 for bribery charges. He was found guilty at the Supreme Court and served a year and two months in prison until September 2013.
TM Tech officials declined to comment on the case.
The summons is the latest in a series of investigations into suspicious deals and alleged slush funds created at POSCO between 2009 and 2014. (Yonhap)
