Former presidential aide to be summoned this week over corruption scandal

(ATTN: ADDS background in last 5 paras) SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors said Monday they plan to summon a former senior presidential aide this week on suspicions of receiving money in a corruption scandal involving a suspended savings bank. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office is scheduled to call in Kim Du-woo, the former senior presidential secretary for public information, Wednesday to quiz him over allegations that he received about 100 million won (US$89,405) from a key lobbyist who bribed a handful of other government officials and politicians to help Busan Savings Bank, a top market player, avoid suspension of operations. Kim submitted his resignation last week after prosecutors asked him to face questioning. Kim has denied the allegations against him. Park Tae-kyu, the lobbyist, was arrested late last month on charges of receiving more than 1 billion won from the troubled bank, which was eventually suspended due to inadequate liquidity. Prosecutors have reportedly secured Park's confession that he delivered some 100 million won worth of cash and gift cards to Kim last year on behalf of Busan Savings Bank, which was under a growing threat of suspension at the time. Prosecutors may ask for an arrest warrant for Kim after questioning him, prosecution sources said. A high-ranking official at the Financial Supervisory Service, the financial regulator, will also be interrogated on charges he received money in return for allowing a softer inspection of the troubled savings bank, the sources said without revealing the name of the official. The latest corruption scandal is feared to deal a potentially heavy blow to the ruling Grand National Party and the main opposition Democratic party in the run-up to the by-election set for Oct. 26. Several lawmakers from the parties were reportedly involved in the lobbying scandal, which, if confirmed, could severely damage the parties' images in the upcoming by-elections.