Governor to be summoned this week

The prosecution will summon South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Hong Joon-pyo for questioning this week as a probe into bribery allegations involving high-profile politicians picks up pace.

Prosecutors said Tuesday they are currently looking through a schedule to call in Hong, who will become the first of the eight political heavyweights embroiled in the scandal to be questioned.

Hong is suspected of receiving 100 million won ($93,000) from late business tycoon Sung Woan-jong in 2011 when the veteran politician ran for chief of the Saenuri Party.

Earlier Tuesday, prosecutors interrogated two of key confidants to Hong, the four-term lawmaker affiliated with the ruling Saenuri Party. 

One of them is Nah Kyung-bum, who works for the governor at South Gyeongsang Provincial Office. He took charge of the campaign funds in the 2011 primary election. Another member of the 2011 campaign staff was also questioned later in the day.

The prosecution obtained testimony from Yoon Seong-mo, the former vice president of Keangnam Enterprises, in which he claimed that he delivered the political funds to Hong in 2011 at the National Assembly. But he reportedly did not specify the date of delivery.

Prosecutors investigated whether Hong’s aides received money from Yoon and discussed the matter of running campaign funds with him.

The bribery allegations swirled after the body of Sung, the chairman of Keangnam Enterprises, was found last month with a note in his pocket that listed the names of eight politicians and the alleged bribe sums he offered. Hong’s name was written next to 100 million won in the note.

Sung claimed in an interview with a media outlet before his apparent suicide that he had given illicit funds to close aides to President Park Geun-hye, including Hong and former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo.

Lee stepped down two weeks ago amid allegations that he took 30 million won from Sung during his bid in the parliamentary by-election in 2013.

Expectations appear to be building among prosecutors that Hong’s aide will provide evidence of the validity of the 56-word memo, known locally as the “Sung Woan-jong list,” and accelerate the high-profile investigation.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)