Proprietor of hostess club suspected of bribing police, prosecutors


A so-called room salon king’s bribery and lobbying scheme may have included public prosecutors. “Room salons” refer to establishments that often facilitate prostitution.

According to reports, the police had suspected Lee Kyung-baek, a room salon operator under arrest for tax evasion who claims to have paid off police officers, of treating court officials and public prosecutors.

According to a local daily, the police team investigating Lee in 2007 had a tip off that he was bribing legal officials.

“I followed Lee after we had a tip off that he was in league with police or legal officials, and confirmed that he took a prosecutor and court officials to a golf club in North Chungcheong Province,” an anonymous police officer was quoted as saying by the local daily. The policeman, however, was unable to confirm who covered the costs.

Lee, who operated about 10 room salons around Seoul, was first investigated by the authorities in 2007 for tax evasion and facilitating prostitution. In 2010, Lee was arrested for tax evasion and employing minors at establishments offering sexual services.

He was indicted and detained but posted bail and disappeared in September. Lee was arrested in July 2011 while operating a room salon while he was wanted by the police.

After the arrest, Lee caused controversy by claiming that he had a list of police officers he bribed in return for turning a blind eye to his operations.

According to reports, the prosecutors investigating the claims have secured the list of police officers who may have received money from Lee. The prosecutors are said to be planning to question the identified officers.

The investigation has also revealed that a number of police officers visited Lee in prison.

“We are analyzing evidence collected from the Seoul detention center and Lee’s home. In particular, we are investigating the reason why three police officers visited Lee, and what was said during their visits,” the prosecutors’ office was quoted as saying by the local media.

Although the alleged bribery scheme is only now under full investigation, there have been indications of police corruption in the past.

During the 2007 investigation, three police officers were found to have received favors from an adult entertainment establishment in the Gangnam area, where Lee operated his businesses.

In 2010, 63 police officers were shown to have had phone conversations with Lee and six officers were removed from their posts or from the police force.

The allegations of Lee bribing public prosecutors brought forward by the police could act as fuel for the growing unease between the police and the prosecutors.

While the prosecutors investigate allegations of police corruption, the police agency is investigating a case launched after a police officer brought charges against a public prosecutor.

On Jan. 20, an inspector at Miryang Police Station filed a complaint with the National Police Agency regarding a prosecutor, who was in charge of a case he was investigating.

The allegation is that the prosecutor abused his authority to suppress the investigation into the CEO of a waste removal company after the accused hired a lawyer who had formerly served as the chief of a regional prosecutors’ office.

The police officer also claimed the prosecutor insulted and threatened him for objecting to his directives.

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)