Phone record bolsters corruption suspicions against senior presidential aide

SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- A senior presidential aide suspected of involvement in a corruption scandal had about 90 phone calls with a key lobbyist accused of bribing politicians and government officials, prosecutors said Friday.
The evidence corroborates suspicions that Kim Du-woo, senior presidential secretary for public affairs, was deeply involved in the arrested lobbyist Park Tae-kyu's campaign to help a troubled savings bank avoid a suspension and that he might have taken bribes from Park.
Kim submitted his resignation Thursday after prosecutors asked him to appear for questioning next week. Kim has denied the allegations against him.
Park was arrested late last month on charges of taking more than 1 billion won (US$931,098) from the corruption-ridden Busan Savings Bank with promises that he will lobby senior officials and politicians so that the lender could avoid a suspension of operations.
Park has since reportedly told prosecutors that he offered about 100 million won in bribes to Kim.
Investigators at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Friday they have confirmed that Kim and Park had about 90 phone calls between last year and early this year.
Prosecution officials suspect the former presidential aide might have worked as a bridge between Park and financial regulators.
The ex-presidential aide has been barred from leaving the country pending investigation, officials said.