Ex-presidential secretary re-summoned over leaked document

A former presidential secretary again appeared before prosecutors Friday to face questioning over a leaked presidential document claiming a former aide to President Park Geun-hye tried to exert undue influence on state affairs.

   The former secretary, Cho Eung-cheon, entered the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul around 10 a.m. as a suspect in the widening scandal.

   He previously underwent questioning by prosecutors on Dec. 5.

   Citing the internal document, the local daily Segye Times reported that Jeong Yun-hoe, who was chief secretary to Park during her term in parliament, had regularly met with a coterie of 10 key presidential aides since October 2013 to receive briefings on state affairs.

   Jeong, who holds no official position in the Park administration, even discussed with them a plot to oust Kim Ki-choon, the current chief of staff to Park, the daily reported.

   Dismissing the document dated Jan. 6 as nothing but a collection of groundless rumors, the presidential office has asked the prosecution to look into the case.   

   Cho previously served as a supervisor to police superintendent Park Kwan-cheon, who is under suspicion of authoring and leaking presidential documents spanning more than 100 pages, including the controversial one. 

   Cho reportedly briefed Kim on Jeong's monthly meetings with key presidential officials in an alleged bid to meddle in state affairs. Cho has been banned from leaving the country amid the investigation.

   The prosecution is considering whether to seek an arrest warrant for Cho early next week, charging him with leaking the confidential information and violating the presidential records management law, according to sources at the prosecution office. (Yonhap)