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Prosecutors questioning Kang Kum-won, the chairman of Changshin Textile Co., are tracking additional funds, other than the W950 million that Kang gave to Seon Bong-sul, Roh¡¯s old friend and the former president of the bottled-water company Jangsoocheon. Prosecutors said that nothing has yet been confirmed as to whether the extra funding was for personal use or was part of the slush funds provided during the 2002 presidential election. The prosecutors plan to summon Seon on Tuesday.
The prosecutors said they would decide by Tuesday whether to request an arrest warrant for Kang, adding that Kang is now the chief suspect. Prosecutors investigated the W2 billion that Kang illegally lent the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) just before the election, and if Kang used W950 million in company money to pay off a debt to Seon. Reportedly, prosecutors have sought additional charges against Kang.
Kang, upon entering the prosecutors' office, said that he never received one won, and that he is not the kind of person who would lobby politicians. He also told the prosecutors to stop the ¡°witch hunt.¡±
The case is related a larger investigation of corporate slush funds used in last year¡¯s presidential election, and whether President Roh Moo-hyun's close aides used Roh¡¯s former business connections in Busan to facilitate bribes.
(Choi Jae-hyuk, jhchoi@chosun.com )
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