lawmakers-corruption probe

SEOUL, March 29 (Yonhap) -- Suh Gap-won, a ranking opposition lawmaker, will again be summoned this week for questioning over allegations that he received illicit political funds from a businessman at the center of an expanding bribery probe, prosecutors said Sunday.

Suh, the deputy floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, was sent
home early Sunday after 12 hours of questioning that began Saturday afternoon. He
will be summoned again on Monday.
Suh, known as a confidant of former President Roh Moo-hyun, is alleged to have
received tens of thousands of U.S. dollars from Park Yeon-cha, chairman of
shoemaker Taekwang Industry who is also under arrest on charges of tax evasion
and bribery.
"Suh will again be called in on Monday for cross-questioning with Chairman Park.
We planned to summon one or two more lawmakers from both opposition and ruling
parties in the same corruption probe," said a senior prosecutor at the Supreme
Prosecutors' Office.
"But due to the parliamentary schedule, the prosecution of Reps. Suh and Park and
other suspects will be deferred to May," he explained.
The National Assembly is scheduled to convene an extra session in April, which
can hinder the prosecution probe of the case. Lawmakers are immune from arrest
while the parliament is in session.
The businessman under arrest allegedly delivered illicit political funds in U.S.
dollars to the opposition lawmaker through his acquaintance who runs a Korean
restaurant in New York, according to the prosecutors.
Leaving the prosecutor's office early Sunday after interrogation, Suh strongly
denied the allegations.
Last Thursday, Rep. Lee Kwang-jae also of the same opposition party, who is also
well known as a top confidant of former President Roh, was placed under arrest on
suspicion of pocketing a total of 180 million won (about US$140,000) from Park
between 2004 and 2008, including $20,000 delivered by the unidentified New York
restaurant owner in May 2004.
On Friday, Rep. Park Jin, a senior lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party
(GNP), underwent hours of questioning by prosecutors over allegations that he
received bribes from the businessman.
Rep. Park, who chairs the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs, Trade and
Unification Committee, is well known for his advocacy of the South Korea-U.S.
free trade agreement and pro-American policies, as well as for his close
political relationship with President Lee Myung-bak.
The GNP lawmaker also denied the allegations.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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