Photo: YONHAP News
The anti-corruption watchdog concluded that special advisers should be subject to the country’s anti-corruption law as public officials.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced the decision on Friday after a legal review and expert recommendations. Interpretation was requested by Seoul Metropolitan Police.
This means that Park Young-soo, the former special prosecutor who investigated the influence peddling scandal of former President Park Geun-hye, will face an investigation for alleged corruption. Park resigned from the post of special prosecutor amid the allegations.
Park is said to have received bribes from a local businessman, who is on trial for his role in a fraud case involving more than ten billion won. The businessman, nicknamed Kim, is said to have bribed a senior prosecutor, a police officer and journalists.
Admitting that he and Kim shared meals a couple of times and received crabs and fish as holiday gifts, Park said he didn’t think they were violating anti-graft law.
Park, however, refuted claims he borrowed a Porsche from Kim for free, saying he then paid a two point five million won rental fee.
