Park Ji-won, floor leader of main opposition Democratic United Party

By Yi Whan-woo

The prosecution said Tuesday it will summon Park Ji-won, floor leader of the Democratic United party, Thursday, for allegedly receiving bribery from two suspended savings banks in return for business favors.

The special investigation unit of the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office said it found hard evidence that Park, a three-term lawmaker, allegedly took 100 million won ($87,560) total from Solomon Savings Bank and Bohae Savings Bank.

The prosecution said earlier that Lim Suk, 50, chairman of the Solomon, confessed he delivered a large sum of money to Park ahead of the parliamentary elections in April. Lim is indicted on charges of bribing a number of politicians with request to avoid suspension of his debt-ridden bank. The financial regulators suspended the Solomon and three others in May for their failure to meet the capital adequacy ratio recommended by the Bank for International Settlement (BIS) standards.

The prosecution also suspects that Park took millions of won from Oh Moon-cheol, 60, CEO of the Bohae Savings Bank, who asked Park to cover up investigation on his alleged embezzlement of the company fund. The lender is suspended in 2011 for insufficient capitals, and Oh is indicted on charges of embezzling over 50 billion won ($43.7 million).

Park denied of his allegations, adding he will “commit suicide by disembowelment to prove his innocence.”

His aide also said that Park will not turn in himself, and criticized the prosecution for “politically-motivated” investigation.

“It’s obvious that the prosecution targeted Park for political reason, and he will not comply with the prosecution’s call,” a DUP member said.

The probe came after the prosecution indicted President Lee Myung-bak’s former close aides who took a large sum of money and allegedly used the money for campaign funds for the 2007 presidential election.

Lee Sang-deok, 76, the elder brother of the president, was arrested last Tuesday for receiving money from troubled savings banks, including the Solomon. He also allegedly has been involved in a series of corruption cases.

Another aide is Rep. Chung Doo-un of the ruling Saenuri Party, who allegedly received bribes from Lim to raise campaign funds. The prosecution planned to arrest the incumbent lawmaker, but the National Assembly rejected the arrest motion on Chung last Wednesday.