President’s son to be summoned

Deputy independent counsel Lee Chang-hoon goes over documents at the office of the special prosecution team in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, Monday, in preparation for questioning President Lee Myung-bak’s son, Si-hyung, this week for his alleged role in a property purchase sandal concerning Lee’s retirement home. / Yonhap

An independent counsel plans to summon President Lee Myung-bak’s son for questioning this week over alleged irregularities involving an abandoned plan to build a retirement home for the president.

Lee Si-hyung is under suspicion for his involvement in a shady deal last year to purchase land in Naegok-dong, southern Seoul.

The scandal centers on land bought jointly by Lee’s 34-year-old son and former presidential security service chief Kim In-jong. The land was to be used as the site on which a retirement home for the President and auxiliary facilities for his security personnel were to be built.

However, it was later revealed that the cost was not shared evenly, and that the security service quoted a high price for the land designated for its buildings.

“(The younger) Lee will be summoned as a suspect, not a witness,” said special counsel Lee Kwang-bum during a press briefing Monday.

The announcement came after a team of special prosecutors banned the President’s son and 11 others, including Kim, from leaving the country last week for their alleged involvement in the case.

The investigators also asked the President’s eldest brother, Lee Sang-eun, who allegedly loaned his nephew 60 million won ($542,000) to buy the land, to return home for questioning. The 79-year-old has remained overseas after leaving the country on Oct. 15, the day before the special prosecutor’s team was launched.

The prosecution raided his house in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on Oct. 17 and has searched his office at automotive seat-maker DAS, the company he runs as chairman in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

The team also raided several other sites related to Lee Si-hyung and two real estate agencies that were involved in the land purchase.

The presidential office has denied any irregularities. President Lee cancelled the project and said he will instead move into his existing private house in Nonhyun-dong, southern Seoul, after he completes his five-year presidency in February.

Opposition parties, including the Democratic United Party (DUP), have claimed that the President came up with a scheme to let his son profit from purchasing the land at a below-market price.

Both majority and minority parties sought the independent investigation after prosecutors wrapped up an inquiry into the scandal in June without filing charges against anyone. At that time, the President’s son was only questioned in written form. <The Korea Times/Yi Whan-woo>