By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter


The prosecution summoned former Korean Ambassador to Washington Hong Seok-hyun Wednesday and questioned him over his alleged involvement in Samsung Group’s provision of slush funds to presidential candidates ahead of the 1997 election.

Hong, 56, who resigned from his post as ambassador in September after just seven months, is suspected of relaying illegal campaign funds from Samsung to politicians in the past election.

The former ambassador is also suspected of being involved in Samsung’s alleged bribery of prosecutors ahead of the Chusok holidays in 1997.

When asked by reporters why he put off his return home, he said, ``I will tell the details to prosecutors.’’

It is the first time Hong has appeared before prosecutors in six years since he was arrested for his involvement in a tax evasion case by the Bogwang Group in 1999.

Prosecutors are attempting to confirm whether Hong provided a connection between the country’s largest conglomerate and politicians and how far he was involved in the distribution of slush funds.

It bears further watching as to whether the investigators will gather enough evidence to prosecute Hong, as the statute of limitations on violating the law on political funding lasts only three years.

However, the statute of limitations could extend to ten years if the amount of illegally distributed funds is found to exceed 5 billion won ($ 4.8 million).

Hong’s resignation as ambassador followed a report by local television station MBC in July that Samsung provided illegal campaign funds to presidential candidates ahead of the 1997 election.

The report was based on the contents of a wiretapped conversation between Hong and Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Hak-soo, as both men allegedly discussed how to distribute the slush funds. Hong was then the publisher of the Samsung-affiliated newspaper JoongAng Ilbo.

The audiotapes obtained by MBC were leaked by a former intelligence agent who had led a special wiretapping unit within the Agency of National Security Planning, the predecessor of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), during the 1990s.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr