Prosecution Office Summons Former Roh Administration Chief of Staff, Security Chief Over 'Roh Taewoo Slush Fund' Allegations

Former presidential chief of staff Jeong Haechang and former Presidential Security Service chief Choi Seokrip questioned as witnesses
Investigation into allegations that the Roh Taewoo family concealed slush funds and evaded taxes continues

The Prosecution Office, which is investigating allegations that the family of former President Roh Taewoo concealed slush funds, has questioned former senior officials from the Roh administration who are named in the “Kim Oksook memo,” according to confirmed reports.

According to legal sources on November 3, the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecution Office, headed by Chief Prosecutor So Jeongsu, summoned and questioned Jeong Haechang, former presidential chief of staff, and Choi Seokrip, former chief of the Presidential Security Service, as witnesses late last month.

The two are named in the memo, written by Kim Oksook, the wife of the late former president, with entries including “Chief Jeong, 3 billion won” and “Choi Seok-rip, 200 million won,” respectively.

Allegations that the Roh family concealed slush funds surfaced during the divorce proceedings between SK Group Chairman Chey Taewon and Roh Soyoung, director of Art Center Nabi, when the existence of funds believed to be slush funds belonging to the former president became known.

Seoul Central District Prosecution Office. Yonhap News Agency.

During the appeal in the divorce case, Roh’s side argued that the family of the former president had made a substantial contribution to SK Group’s growth. As evidence, it submitted two pages of notes written by Kim more than 20 years ago and six promissory notes worth a total of 5 billion won issued by Sunkyung Construction.

The memo is reported to contain details of funds totaling 90.4 billion won. Citing it, Roh’s side argued that 30 billion won from the former president was given to his in-law, Chey Jonghyun, former chairman of SK Group, and used in the business operations of Sunkyung Group.

The Prosecution Office has been investigating complaints filed by the May 18 Memorial Foundation and others, alleging that members of the former president’s family, including Kim, Roh and Noh Jaehyun, South Korea’s ambassador to China, concealed slush funds and evaded taxes.

The Prosecution Office has reportedly not yet notified Roh or Ambassador Noh’s side of specific dates to appear.

The case began under prosecutors before the Prosecutors’ Office was converted into the Prosecution Office on October 2. Under the “transitional measures for matters under its jurisdiction” provision of the Prosecution Office Act, the Prosecution Office may continue the investigation through December 30.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.