hankyoreh

” obtained from a former construction company chairman that allegedly lists the real names of 57 former and current prosecutors who received access to lavish entertainment from March 1984 to April 2009. 　

The production team of the MBC current events program “PD Notebook” said Monday they plan to reveal a document that lists the real names of current and former prosecutors who received access to lavish entertainment from the chairman of a construction company for some 25 years in its upcoming episode, “Prosecutors and Sponsors,” a special to be aired on Tuesday, which is Law Day in South Korea. Since there reportedly are a number of high-ranking officials listed on the document, including two current superintendent public prosecutors, the release of the document is expected to cause controversy.

The production team of PD Notebook says it has secured a document with the real names of 57 former and current prosecutors who received access to lavish entertainment from March 1984 to April 2009. They are also alleging that some prosecutors were also provided with sexual favors. The list includes the names of high-ranking Justice Ministry officials, including two current superintendent public prosecutors and a chief prosecutor. The production team is claiming that at a minimum, over 100 current and former prosecutors have been provided with access to entertainment.

The individual who gave the document to the PD Notebook production team is a Mr. Hong, who was the chairman of a construction company in the Gyeongsangnam Province region during the 1980s. He claims to have played the role of “sponsor” for high-ranking prosecutors in the district for 25 years. He told reporters that it was his duty to meet with prosecutors, buy them drinks, get them hotels and provide them with women. He claimed he would regularly give them cash and give them gifts during the holidays.

The production team said the two current superintendent public prosecutors were entertained by Hong eight times when they were both chief prosecutors in Busan. The team said one of the superintendent public prosecutors claimed Hong is mentally ill, while the other said he didn’t know Hong well. Producer Choi Seung-ho said that Hong’s document fully reveals the way in which an individual played the role of sponsor for prosecutors for 25 years, and that the list of names mentioned is considerable and the document’s credibility high.

One day prior to PD Notebook’s program, prosecutors are voicing displeasure with the program. An official with the Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO) said Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office is currently opening an investigation into MBC’s management, and PD Notebook’s production team was previously on trial after being indicted for their report on the U.S. beef import issue, for which they were blamed for the candlelight vigil demonstrations. He said in this situation, it is inappropriate for them to unilaterally attack the prosecutors. Officials with the prosecutors wonder if the report is being made with a certain intention.

In particular, prosecutors stress Hong is a suspect who has been arrested on charges of fraud. The official with the SPO said Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said he also sent threatening text messages to a head prosecutor in order to avoid investigation, and that it is inappropriate to unilaterally broadcast his claims without any filter.

One of the superintendent public prosecutors whose name was released said because Hong served as a member of the regional rehabilitation committee in the 1980s, he got to know him officially. He acknowledged Hong as an acquaintance, but said when investigations into Hong began in accordance with proper procedures, Hong passed fake information on to a broadcaster, making it look as if there was something going on between him and prosecutors in the past. The Hankyoreh made several attempts to contact the second superintendent public prosecutor listed, but he could not be reached for comment.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]