KWAK SANG-DO SUMMONED FOR QUESTIONING

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Prosecutors investigating the Daejangdong land development scandal have again summoned former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do for questioning. He is implicated in allegations of receiving 5 billion won related to the project. New circumstantial evidence suggests that he received 50 million won from lawyer Nam Wook, a key figure in the scandal.

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The latest in Kwak's bribery allegations dates back to 2016 in the wake of his successful parliamentary election. Prosecutors suspect that Kwak at the time received 50 million won from lawyer Nam Wook who owns Cheonhwadongin No. 4. Kwak has been called in again for questioning and was grilled on the suspicions. The last time he was summoned was in November last year. Whether the nature of the 50 million won constitutes a violation of the Political Funds Act is also being looked into. The lawyer has said the money was to pay back help he received from Kwak when he was under investigation. The former lawmaker also issued a statement saying he received legal fees on March 1, 2016 which was in return for the assistance he provided during Nam's arrest. Kwak added the fact was already known as he spoke about it during the first questioning and an arrest warrant hearing. The lawyer was earlier indicted on charges of receiving 830 million won in 2015 from a developer involved in the land project for political lobbying purposes. Kwak served as board chair of the Korea Legal Aid Corporation from March to November that year. Prosecutors have continued the investigation since an arrest warrant request for Kwak was rejected by the court last month. That included summoning Hana Financial Holdings chairman Kim Jung-tai to verify allegations related to a Hana Bank consortium. Kwak is accused of providing favors to Kim to prevent Hana Bank from leaving a consortium that included Hwacheondaeyu, an asset management firm at the center of the land development scandal. Based on the newly discovered evidence, the prosecution is expected to seek an arrest warrant for Kwak again as early as this week.