The Naeil Shinmun reported Monday that the former Millennium Democratic Party advisor Kwon Roh-kap gave more than W115 million in illegal campaign funds to Kim Keun-tae and Chung Dong-young; candidates seeking election to the party's Supreme Council in 2000; and three other people. The paper said the recipients received between W5 million to W50 million.

In a telephone interview with the Chosun Ilbo, Kwon said that he gave W20 million each to Kim and Chung, but nothing to anybody else. He continued the money was proceed from his wife's shop and was to fund his bid to become a Supreme Council member. Kwon failed to run.

Grand National Party Spokesman Nam Kyung-pil demanded an investigation into the money source, saying the story was coming out on rumors that Kwon distributed a huge amount of political funds. Nam said failure of the prosecution to investigate this would raise more suspicion that central figures in the ruling party are involved.

(Choi Joon-seok, jschoi@chosun.com )