SEOUL– Prosecutors raided internet portal giant Naver and CHA Bundang Medical Center Monday in connection with allegations of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung’s third-party bribery surrounding corporate donations to a football club years ago.
The case centers on the allegations that the city government of Seongnam, just south of Seoul, had attracted about 16 billion won (US$11.2 million) in donations from six entities to a municipal football club in return for administrative favors in the mid-2010s, when the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party was serving as its mayor.
The six entities are known to be Doosan Engineering & Construction Co., Naver, Nonghyup Bank, CHA Bundang Medical Center, Alpha Dome City Co. and Hyundai Department Store.
The Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office sent prosecutors and investigators to about 10 places related to Naver and the CHA medical center in the morning to search and seize documents related to the case.
Doosan Engineering was already raided by prosecutors on Sept. 16, along with about 20 other entities and individuals, including Seongnam FC and Seongnam City Hall.
It has not yet been confirmed whether Hyundai Department Store, Alpha Dome City and Nonghyup Bank were included in Monday’s raid.
Naver is suspected of receiving favors in obtaining the construction permit for its second office building after paying 4 billion won in donations to the football club, while the CHA medical center is suspected of receiving preferential treatment in altering the zoning of its property.
On Sept. 13, police transferred the case to the prosecution with an opinion of indictment for Lee and others. Police reportedly concluded a third-party bribery charge can be applied to Lee in connection with donations totaling 5.5 billion won made between 2014 and 2016 by Doosan Engineering to Seongnam FC, then headed by Lee.
At that time, police cleared five other donors of charges.
Lee is suspected of changing the city’s usage purpose for a 9,900-square-meter section of land owned by Doosan in the city’s Bundang district from a hospital to commerce in return for the company’s donation provided in the name of advertising expenses. Thanks to the zoning change, Doosan is said to have made huge profits.
Source: Yonhap News Agency