The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division (HOGCID), investigating a bribery case involving an executive of the Board of Audit and Inspection, has requested the prosecution to indict the executive.
On the 24th, HOGCID's Investigation Division 2 (Chief Prosecutor Song Chang-jin) announced that it requested the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to indict Kim, a Grade 3 executive of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and B, who was the nominal CEO of Company A operated by Kim, on charges of bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.
HOGCID has the authority to prosecute only crimes committed by high-ranking public officials such as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Supreme Court Justices, Prosecutor General, judges, prosecutors, and police officers of rank Superintendent or higher.
According to HOGCID, in February 2013, Kim established an electrical construction company under a borrowed name and effectively operated it. He received bribes under the pretext of subcontracting fees for electrical construction from construction and civil engineering companies subject to audit, then misappropriated the funds for personal use, and exerted influence on the awarding of large projects to the companies that gave the bribes.
Kim is accused of receiving bribes totaling approximately 1.58 billion KRW under the pretext of payments by having private construction contractors and civil engineering public enterprises enter into subcontracting contracts with Company A, which he operated.
Additionally, Kim was investigated for exerting influence on government officials from ministries who were also his audit subjects and members of the project bid review committee, after receiving requests to assist in securing large domestic civil engineering projects. Since transferring to the Board of Audit and Inspection in 2000, Kim has mainly worked in audit departments related to construction and civil engineering. The amount embezzled by Kim and B from Company A was investigated to be approximately 1.32 billion KRW.
HOGCID also requested the prosecution to indict five executives from private companies and public enterprises who gave bribes to Kim on charges of bribery.
Earlier, on the 8th of this month, the court held a warrant review hearing and dismissed the detention warrant requested by HOGCID for Kim.
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