Presidential office discredits bribery allegations

SEOUL, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- The presidential office on Monday discredited allegations from a local businessman that he offered bribes to close aides to President Lee Myung-bak and other former and incumbent officials, saying its own internal probe turned up nothing to back up the claims.
SLS Group Chairman Lee Kuk-chul has claimed since last week that he gave more than 1 billion won (US$877,500) in bribes to former Vice Culture Minister Shin Jae-min over the past decade. The businessman has also alleged that he offered about 50 million won in gift certificates to at least two presidential officials via Shin in 2008 and 2009.
"We've checked those currently being mentioned in the media. I can't say how the probe was done, but all of them went through a screening process," a presidential official said. "But the probe turned up nothing. Chairman Lee's allegations lacked credibility so much. ... They are a story like a novel."
Prosecutors are looking into the scandal and questioned the businessman Friday.
The businessman, who built the conglomerate that focuses on shipbuilding and heavy industries, has claimed that he came forward with the revelations because he has been unfairly investigated over and over again in what he claimed was a plot to topple his conglomerate.
A series of SLS subsidiaries have either gone bankrupt or into a debt workout program since Lee was investigated over bribery and other charges in 2009. In November last year, he was sentenced to three years in prison, which was suspended for five years.
Ex-Vice Culture Minister Shin and other officials have flatly rejected Lee's claims.
The presidential office has also been working actively to respond to the allegations. On Sunday, it disclosed a video to counter claims that a presidential aide helped the businessman talk with President Lee during a trade promotion convention in 2008.
The clip showed the businessman shaking hands with the president but never talking to him.