By Yoo Dong-ho
Staff Reporter

Prosecutors will call in Kang Keum-won, president of Changshin Textile Co., on Saturday to look into allegations that President Roh Moo-hyun’s presidential election campaign team received 2 billion won from him before last year’s presidential election.

Kang, however, said that Rep. Lee Sang-soo, chief financier of the then-ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) borrowed the money and repaid it with about 1.6 million won of interest six days later.

``Lee asked me to lend him the money saying he would repay it when his party got government subsidies,’’ the textile tycoon said.

Prosecutors will also probe allegations that Kang gave 230 million won through former presidential secretary Choi Do-sul to Sun Bong-sul, Roh’s high school alumnus.

Sun and Kang allegedly engaged in joint business activities around last December’s presidential election when Choi received 1.1 billion won from SK Group, the nation’s third largest conglomerate.

Choi, who was arrested on charges of taking 1.1 billion won in certificates of deposit from SK chairman Son Kil-seung, allegedly gave the 230 million won in cash to Sun.

Sun was earlier called in to the prosecutor’s office to testify how he used the money he received from Choi, a longtime aide to Roh. The prosecution, however, failed to trace the whereabouts of the 230 million won and will summon Sun again soon.

Sun served as the president of a mineral water company owned by Roh until the bribery scandal surfaced in May.

Prosecutors said they are tracing records to confirm allegations that the money Sun took was used to pay debts of the mineral water company, Changsuchon, in February.

In a related development, the prosecution is set to summon Pusan Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Kim Sung-chul over allegations that he collected political funds from Pusan-based construction companies to help finance Roh’s election campaign.

yoodh@koreatimes.co.kr