Ex-telecom regulator suspected of money-for-favor deal

Ex-telecom regulator suspected of money-for-favor deal

Choi See-joong, a close confidant of President Lee Myung-bak and a former communications regulator, is suspected of taking bribes from a property developer in exchange for influence-peddling in a construction project, prosecutors said Monday. The 75-year-old Choi stepped down as chief of the state-run Korea Communications Commission in January over allegations that a former aide accepted bribes from a businessman in return for favors. Later that month, Choi was accused of offering money to several lawmakers close to the president in 2008. Prosecutors said they secured testimony that a former head of the property developer, surnamed Lee, gave more than 1 billion won ($877,501) to a broker, also surnamed Lee, to be delivered to Choi in 2007-2008. The money was allegedly payment for Choi's help in winning a permit to build a large trade complex in southern Seoul. Speaking in a local media interview, Choi acknowledged the allegations of money taking were "partly true," but denied it was an exchange for favors. Instead, he claimed he used the money for President Lee's election campaign in 2007. Choi played a key role in Lee's election victory at the time. Prosecutors said they are investigating whether the alleged bribe was delivered to Choi. They also arrested the broker on Saturday on suspicion of accepting lobbying money from the property developer's former head. (Yonhap)