By Byun Duk-kun
Staff Reporter

The prosecution has obtained solid evidence proving that former Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) advisor Kwon Roh-kap received $25 million from Hyundai Group in illegal funds in 2000.

Investigators said on Tuesday that the confirmation was made by Kim Choong-shik, former president of Hyundai Merchant Marine.

According to the prosecution, Kim and his attorney, identified by his surname Cho, went to the United States on July 31 to find the money transfer receipt and to verify the amount of money donated to the MDP advisor.

A prosecutor said Cho called on Aug. 3 to claim that, according to the receipt, $25 million was sent to a Swiss bank account. Cho was also quoted as saying, ``The (Hyundai) officials must have mistaken $25 million as $30 million.’’

Kwon, who is a close confidant of former President Kim Dae-jung, has been suspected of receiving $30 million from affiliates of Hyundai Group before the general elections in April 2000.

The prosecution said Cho was scheduled to fax the receipt, which also states the name of the sender and the recipient, on Aug. 4. However, the arrangement never came through as the former chairman of Hyundai Asan, Chung Mong-hun, committed suicide on the scheduled date. Prosecution did not say whether the scheduled submission of money transfer receipt had anything to do with Chung’s death.

Cho returned to the country on Aug. 6 and relayed a message from his client Kim, who is currently staying in the U.S., to the prosecution stating that he will not reveal the bank receipt or the name of the recipient.

Still, the prosecution is trying to encourage Kim return to the country for questioning over the alleged illegal money transfer and the amount of money transferred.

``The amount of money former Hyundai Asan chairman Chung and former chairman of Hyundai Securities Co. Lee Ik-chi testified about was $30 million,’’ said Moon Hyo-nam, the chief investigation planner at the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office.

``We don’t know whether only $25 million was transferred or $30 million was transferred on two different accounts of $25 million and $5 million or whether Kim only found the receipt for $25 million,’’ he said.

Kwon, who exercised great political influence during former President Kim Dae-jung’s presidency, is suspected of having collected tens of billions of won in illegal political funds and distributed the money among then MDP lawmakers ahead of the April 2000 general elections.

In addition to the $30 million Kwon allegedly received from the late Hyundai Asan chairman, he is also suspected of receiving more than 5 billion won ($4.2 million) in kickbacks from Kumho Group chairman Park Sam-koo in 2000.


benjamine@koreatimes.co.kr