The prosecution is planning to summon two former top police officials early this week as part of its probe into an escalating bribery scandal regarding construction site catering contracts, sources said Sunday.
The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office will question former National Police Agency chief Kang Hee-rak as early as Monday on suspicion of receiving some 100 million won ($88,840) in kickbacks from a broker only identified by his surname Yu, according to them.
Prosecutors also plan to query ex-commissioner general of the National Coast Guard Lee Gil-beom, who is suspected of pocketing 35 million won from the broker, sometime this week.
The 64-year-old Yu, who was arrested in November 2010 and indicted in December on bribery charges, is alleged to have bribed them to secure lucrative contracts to run canteens at construction sites.
The headquarters of the National Police Agency in Seoul (Yonhap News)
After winning the contracts, Yu sold them to catering firms, making a tidy sum of money in the process. He purportedly bribed dozens of people, including former and incumbent ranking government officials, provincial chiefs, public corporation heads and large construction firm owners.
Prosecutors have already told the two to appear at the prosecution for questioning this week, sources said. The two have not officially admitted to the charges.
Investigators are considering seeking an arrest warrant for Kang, who is also purported to have attempted to destroy evidence. In August, he tried to cajole Yu into leaving the country after giving him 40 million won.
For the suspicion, prosecutors reportedly secured telephone records between the two who have maintained cozy relations for many years, sources said.
“Yu stated that Kang recommended before his arrest that he flee overseas with the 40 million won. But facts have yet to be verified,” a prosecution source said on condition of anonymity.
After they secured the statement from Yu that he offered illicit money to them, prosecutors barred Kang, Lee and others from leaving the country in late December. They also plan to summon the government officials and other figures, who allegedly took bribes from Yu.
By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
