Amid new allegations and findings surrounding Gangnam-based nightclub Burning Sun, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Wednesday a suspect surnamed Lee, who had reportedly been working with a former police officer, admitted to transferring money to police officers.
Police confirmed Lee had transferred 20 million won ($17,900) received from the Burning Sun head to six accounts, though it is unclear whether any of the accounts belonged to a current police officer.
Lee, a known member of an organized crime syndicate, had previously testified to having delivered 2.3 million won to two current police offers upon orders from a former police officer at Gangnam Station surnamed Kang.
Lee added that the delivery took place in his car last August in the presence of Kang.
Kang, who is currently a board member of a cosmetics company, is suspected of having functioned as the link between police and Burning Sun.
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Burning Sun entrance (Yonhap) |
Investigation into the Burning Sun scandal is expected to speed up, with police expected to question Burning Sun head Lee Mun-ho and a man surnamed Han who ran the club as suspects in the coming days. On Tuesday, police raided the homes of Lee Mun-ho and Han over allegations of drug use and distribution, and seized evidence. Police earlier questioned the two men three times as witnesses. A urinalysis and hair sample from Lee Mun-ho reportedly tested positive for drugs, while police are reported to have found evidence linking Han to use of hallucinatory drugs.
The son-in-law of conservative politician Kim Moo-sung was also found to have purchased drugs from a Burning Sun employee who has been arrested for drug use.
In 2015, Kim’s son-in-law, surnamed Lee, was sentenced to three years in jail, suspended for four years, for drug use.
By Kim Bo-gyung (
lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)
