Ex-Vice Minister Park latest of Lee’s closest aides involved in graft scandal


Prosecutors are reportedly tracing the bank accounts of Park Young-joon, 52, a former knowledge and economy minister, in a burgeoning bribery scandal involving President Lee Myung-bak’s closest aides.

News reports said prosecutors had secured testimony from a business developer that he handed over 1 billion won ($876,000) to Park between 2007 and 2008 in exchange for his help in getting a distribution complex construction in southern Seoul licensed. Park was in charge of the political affairs bureau at the Seoul Metropolitan Government at the time.

Park is one of two members of Lee’s inner circle implicated in the bribery investigation, along with former Korea Communications Commission Chairman Choi See-joong.

While Choi admitted to accepting some of the money, Park has denied all charges.

Prosecutors are expected to place a ban on Park leaving the country as soon as they acquire more evidence, and summon him for questioning soon, according to the news reports.

Park is nicknamed the “king’s man,” and is regarded as one of Lee’s entrusted aides.

Hailing from Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province, Park graduated from Korea University and worked as an assistance to Rep. Lee Sang-deuk, the older brother of President Lee, for 11 years.

Park became one of President Lee’s loyal associates by working at the Seoul Metropolitan Government between 2005 and 2007, when Lee was the mayor.

Boasting a wide network of acquaintances, he created an external support group for the president called “Anguk Forum” and held campaigns across the country, which is said to have attributed greatly to Lee’s 2007 presidential win.

Park took charge of designing the secretariat for the president-elect after the win, rising as one of the key influential figures in Lee’s inner circle.

He became the presidential secretary on planning and coordination in 2008, and later served as deputy prime minister in 2009. He was named as the 2nd vice minister for knowledge and economy in 2010.

Park most recently ran for a parliamentary seat in the constituency of Daegu in the April 11 general election as an independent but lost.

Park has been embroiled in various scandals, including an allegation by opposition parties that he played an important role in the controversial surveillance of civilians by the government, currently under investigation.

Park was also investigated earlier on suspicion that he was gifted with a lavish drinking party by SLS chairman Lee Kuk-chul but was cleared of charges.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)