By Soh Ji-young
Staff Reporter

Police on Monday sought arrest warrants for two defense agency chiefs on allegations they received millions of won in bribes from an arms supplier.

They are Agency for Defense Development (ADD) President Park Yong-deuk and Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) President Hwang Dong-joon, the latest figures to face arrest in the ever-widening police investigation on irregularities surrounding the nation’s defense projects.

Park, 62, is accused of receiving 20 million won from the 53-year-old head of an underwater weapons supply firm identified only by the last name Choi in August and November last year. Police suspect Park pulled strings in order for Choi’s company to become the successful bidder of a project to develop the military’s satellite communication system.

Hwang, 58, is suspected of accepting 10 million won from Choi in exchange for favors in the selection of a war game simulation development project.

Both of them are denying the charges, but police said they have obtained statements from Choi and his employees testifying to the bribery allegations. Park and Hwang were put into police custody on Saturday.

While being questioned at the National Police Agency (NPA), Choi inflicted injury on himself by pricking his face with a pen and banging his head on a desk, police said.

He suffered no major injuries but was transferred to a nearby hospital.

``After we brought him to the NPA’s special investigation bureau, he said he had something to confess but then started to make a commotion by stabbing his face with a pen,’’ a NPA spokesman said.

Choi reportedly performed the self-injury out of guilt that his statements had led to the arrest warrants for Park and Hwang.

As the two agency heads are known to be close figures of former defense ministers Kim Dong-shin and Chun Yong-taik, speculation is mounting that police investigations will soon zero in on the allegations surrounding them.

A lawmaker of the pro-government Uri Party, Chun, was summoned by police on Dec. 12 on allegations that he received kickbacks from an arms supplier named Chong. He has refused to comply.

Police said they have issued a second summons for Chun to appear for questioning on Dec. 29.

Already six people, including arm suppliers and a retired major general, have been arrested on bribery charges.

The arms corruption scandal is expected to intensify further as police said they will carry out a detailed investigation of former and incumbent generals from this week.

jysoh@koreatimes.co.kr