After Sung Woan-jong ― a South Korean businessman who was under investigation for corruption ― was found dead last week in an apparent suicide, a list of politicians who supposedly received money from him has stirred up a dispute within the political circles here.
The eight politicians on the list include former and incumbent chiefs of staff for President Park Geun-hye, sitting Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo, prominent members of the ruling Saenuri Party, and those who played key roles for Park during the 2012 presidential election.
As of Monday, they all denied receiving any money or having close ties with Sung, who also served as a Saenuri lawmaker from 2012-2014. But if the prosecution’s investigation ― which officially began Monday ― manages to uncover a link connecting them to the late businessman, the ramifications are expected to be cataclysmic, as the list involves those at the very heart of the administration.
Kim Ki-choon, to whom Sung claimed to have given $100,000 in 2006, was widely considered Park’s right-hand man before stepping down from his post as her chief of staff in February after allegations that he exercised excessive power over state affairs and personnel decisions. Both his predecessor Huh Tae-yeol and his successor Lee Byung-kee ― who currently holds the post ― were also alleged to have received money from Sung.
The graft allegations that befell Lee were considered ironic, as the nation’s second-in-command vowed an all-out government effort to root out corruption last month. Hours after the list was released, he put out a statement saying that he did not have close relations with Sung and said Monday he is willing to cooperate with the investigation during an interpellation session.
Rep. Hong Moon-jong may not be the biggest name on the list, but he had been a key member in managing the funds for the Park camp during the 2012 election, as were Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok and Busan Mayor Suh Byung-soo. Suh was simply referred to as “Busan mayor” on the list Sung was believed to have written just before his death.
South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Hong Joon-pyo was the only one on the list who was not connected to Park’s election funding, or considered a close ally to the president.
The validity of Sung’s claims notwithstanding, evidence shows that he turned to those on his list for help as the corruption probe zeroed in on him. Each attempt was shot down.
He even called Saenuri leader Kim Moo-sung, whose name did not appear on the list, days before his death and claimed he was innocent. Kim said in a press conference on Sunday that he had told Sung to cooperate fully with the probe.
Prime Minister Lee acknowledged that he had a phone conversation with Sung just days before his death, during which the businessman suspected that the premier’s public speech on eradicating corruption had sparked an investigation for him. “I told him the probe had been initiated even before I took office. This may have resulted in him holding a grudge against me,” he said recently.
In light of the scandal, the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy launched an offensive on both the president and the ruling party, claiming that the list was most likely truthful and proof of illegal election funds that the Park camp gathered in 2012. The Saenuri Party, however, hit back by saying that the NPAD should also be investigated for possibly receiving illegal funds.
By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)