박근혜 정부의 최순실등 민간인에 의한 국정농단 의혹사건 진상규명을 위한 국조특위
The National Assembly has launched its own investigation into the scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon-sil.
Ji Myung-kil tells us more.
The parliamentary investigative panel, composed of 18 rival party lawmakers, spent the day Wednesday grilling government officials about the scandal engulfing President Park Geun-hye's administration.
Officials from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office told the panel that they are doing their best to prove that the corporate donations made to two government-linked foundations controlled by Choi Soon-sil -- along with other donations to Choi's family... made by companies such as SK, Lotte and Samsung Group -- amount to bribery.
President Park and Choi... are facing allegations that they strong-armed conglomerates into giving to the two foundations -- which raised 66 million U.S. dollars in a short time.
In addition, prosecutors declined lawmakers' request to release the audio recordings of phone conversations between Choi and former presidential aide Jeong Ho-seong... because they said they are still looking into why Jeong recorded the conversations.
Jeong has been in custody since early this month over allegations he leaked state secrets to Choi.
Prosecutors also told the panel that they named two former presidential secretaries -- Kim Ki-choon and Woo Byung-woo -- as suspects in the case.
Kim is accused of protecting Choi or helping her to meddle in state affairs.
Woo is accused of dereliction of duty over suspicions that he knew about Choi's activities but overlooked them.
The panel also asked questions about allegations that the presidential office forced institutional investors to back a Samsung Group merger.
The conglomerate merged two of its affiliates last year, despite opposition from overseas investors.
Prosecutors suspect that Samsung gave around three million US dollars to a Germany-based company owned by Choi Soon-sil,... though the money was allegedly used to benefit her daughter Chung Yoo-ra.
"The parliamentary probe will continue for sixty days, with a possible extension of up to ninety days.
Ji Myung-kil, Arirang News."
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