Former presidential aide summoned over corruption scandal

SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- A former presidential aide appeared before prosecutors on Wednesday to be questioned over suspicions that he received bribes in a corruption scandal involving a suspended savings bank.
Kim Du-woo, the former senior presidential secretary for public information, entered the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in the morning to be interrogated over allegations that he received about 100 million won (US$87,260) from a key lobbyist for Busan Savings Bank.
Park Tae-kyu, the lobbyist, allegedly bribed the presidential aide along with a handful of other government officials and politicians last year in a bid to help the troubled savings bank avoid business suspension.
Amid emerging bribe suspicions, the secretary submitted his resignation last week.
Park was indicted last week on charges of bribing officials on behalf of the troubled bank, which was eventually suspended in early 2011 due to inadequate liquidity.
Prosecutors may ask for an arrest warrant for Kim after questioning him, prosecution sources said.
Several more high-ranking officials and politicians were reportedly involved in the latest corruption scandal, which is feared to deal a heavy blow to the ruling and main opposition political parties in the run-up to next month's by-election.