ARREST WARRANT REQUESTED ON KIM YONG

[Anchor Lead]

The prosecution have requested an arrest warrant for Institute for Democracy deputy director Kim Yong. Kim is accused of receiving more than 800 million won in illegal political funds from the Daejang-dong project businesses.

[Pkg]

Kim Yong, the deputy director for the Institute for Democracy, has been questioned by the prosecution since being detained two days ago. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has filed for Kim's arrest warrant this morning. Kim has been charged with receiving 847 million won in illegal political funds over four occasions between April and August of last year. The prosecution believe that Kim, in conspiracy with former Seongnam Development Corporation executive Yoo Dong-gyu and attorney Jeong Min-yong received a portion of Nam Wook's slush fund as a bribe. Nam was an attorney and also private sector participant of the Daejang-dong development project. In a statement released right after his detention on Wednesday, Kim Yong flatly denied that he had received bribes from those involved in the project. He also criticized the prosecution for making up crimes that he didn't commit. He has also denied all charges launched against him at the prosecutors' questioning. Kim has been a close aide to Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung since his Seongnam mayor days. He has been regarded a member of Lee's inner circle, along with Jeong Jin-sang, Lee's political affairs coordinator. Kim had been a member of the Seongnam City Council while the Wirye development project was underway, and had served as the first spokesman for Lee while he was Gyeonggi-do governor. When the allegations surrounding the Daejang-dong project surfaced last year, Lee had directly mentioned Kim as his confidant. Meanwhile, a judge at the Seoul Central District Court has been reviewing the warrant request since 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Kim's arrest, therefore, is likely to be decided later tonight.