Prosecutors to seek detention of president`s confidant in bribery case: sources

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead, 2nd para)
SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors will Wednesday seek an arrest warrant for a
close confidant of President Lee Myung-bak over allegations he attempted to halt
a tax probe into a businessman at the center of a massive graft scandal, sources
said Tuesday.
Chun Shin-il, head of Sejoongnamo Tour Co., was summoned earlier in the day on
suspicion of pressing tax authorities to suspend an audit into Park Yeon-cha, the
indicted head of shoemaker Taekwang Industry, in return for monetary benefits.
Park was indicted late last year on charges of tax evasion and bribery. He is
believed to have bribed a number of former government officials and political
heavyweights for various favors.
Former President Roh Moo-hyun and his family are also under investigation on
suspicion of having received money from Park.
According to the prosecution, Chun is believed to have arranged several meetings
with Lee Jong-chan, a former aide to President Lee, and senior tax officials to
deter the tax investigation into Park's firm. Lee Jong-chan was questioned on
Sunday.
Chun and the president are known to be close personal friends, with a
relationship that goes back nearly 50 years, having graduated from the same
college. Chun is said to have played a key role in Lee's presidential campaign in
2007.
Prosecutors raided Chun's home and office in early May and confiscated computer
hard discs and accounting books.
In a related move, investigators said they received a response from Han
Sang-ryul, former chief of the National Tax Service, which was responsible for
the tax probe into Park's company, on his role in the case.
Han, currently staying in the United States, denied having received any bribe
money but acknowledged he did receive phone calls from Chun, according to the
investigators.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)