(LEAD) Ex-PM, governor indicted on alleged bribery

(ATTN: ADDS photo and more details in 6-8, 14-18 paras)

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- Former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo and incumbent provincial governor Hong Joon-pyo were indicted Thursday on charges of taking bribes from a deceased businessman, prosecutors said.

The indictments came as part of the prosecution's investigation into a suspected "bribery list" left behind by Sung Wan-jong, the late chairman of construction firm Keangnam Enterprises Inc., who committed suicide in April.

Releasing the outcome of its three-month probe, the special prosecution team alleged that Lee took 30 million won (US$27,000) from Sung when he was running for a parliamentary seat at a by-election in April 2013.

Hong, governor of South Gyeongsang Province, is accused of taking illegal political funds worth 100 million won from Sung in June 2011, prosecutors said.

The memo retrieved from Sung's pocket after he was found dead showed sums of money written next to the names of eight high-profile politicians, including Hong and Lee, suggesting that they were bribed.

Six other people on the list include Yoo Jeong-bok, mayor of Incheon, and Busan Mayor Suh Byung-soo, both former lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party.

The rest are close aides to President Park Geun-hye -- former presidential chiefs of staff Kim Ki-choon, Huh Tae-yeol and incumbent chief of staff, Lee Byung-kee.

Prosecutors, however, concluded that the statue of limitations for Kim's alleged crime had expired and that they have no evidence showing that the five others received the illegal political funds.

As part of the investigation, prosecutors said they have decided not to charge an elder brother of late President Roh Moo-hyun who was allegedly involved in the scandal.

Roh Geon-pyeong is accused of accepting 500 million won from Sung in exchange for helping him win a special presidential pardon at the end of his brother's term in 2007.

Previous administrations have granted special pardons to imprisoned business executives, politicians and other offenders at the end of a president's term to foster national harmony.

"We believe that about 500 million won was exchanged for a special pardon but Roh Geon-pyeong will not be indicted as the statue of limitations had expired," said Moon Mool-Il, a lead investigator.

The elder Roh was previously mired in a number of graft scandals and served a prison term on corruption charges in 2008.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, said they will continue to investigate two high-profile politicians -- Rep. Rhee In-je of the Saenuri Party and Rep. Kim Han-gil of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy -- over their alleged involvement in the scandal.

Rhee, a six-term lawmaker, is suspected of receiving 20 million won in illicit political funds from Sung just before the 2013 general elections, prosecutors said.

Rhee was a member of the now-dissolved minor conservative Advancement and Unification Party when Sung served as the party's floor leader.

The prosecution also alleged that Rep. Kim took tens of millions of won from Sung while running for the main opposition party's top position in May 2013, they said.

The two lawmakers have continued to refuse to answer the summons by the prosecution.

khj@yna.co.kr
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