Prosecutors snub GNP probe demand

Refuse to reinvestigate illegal deposit withdrawal, say found nothing to look into


The prosecution seemed to refuse Friday to reinvestigate suspected illegal deposit withdrawals from a corruption-ridden savings bank despite demands from the ruling Grand National Party.

“If we have dug up a mine and found nothing, we have to move to another mine. That’s the position of the prosecutor-general and the central investigation unit,” a prosecution official said Friday in an interview.

“A total of 25 investigators have looked into all the suspected bank accounts for 50 days. If we have found nothing despite the all-out efforts, it means that there’s nothing left, not that we have failed in finding.”

He added that even if the reinvestigation is launched, there would be nothing new uncovered.

Four months have passed since the prosecution’s investigations started into the scandal of the corruption-ridden Busan Mutual Savings Bank, which involved bank executives, financial audit officials and politicians.

On June 21, the prosecution announced its investigation results on the massive deposit withdrawal of 89.6 billion won which took place before the bank was suspended in February. However, only 8.52 billion won was found to have been illegally withdrawn.

After the announcement, however, Rep. Hwang Woo-yea, GNP floor leader, demanded a reinvestigation during a government-party consultation, saying “we are disappointed with the result. By investigating the money flow, the hidden money should be found out.”

Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and Im Tae-hee, presidential chief of staff, reportedly responded that “they could have some limitations. We will demand to speed up the investigation.”

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)