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S.Korean prosecutors call for extended investigation into presidential scandal

Xinhua, February 14, 2017 Adjust font size:

South Korean special prosecutors have submitted to opposition lawmakers their call for an extended investigation into a scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-hye.

Spokesman of the independent counsel team, which launched its probe on Dec. 21 last year, told a press briefing on Tuesday that the parliament had requested an opinion on the revised law to extend investigation.

In response, the team had submitted its opinion on the need for extension to the lawmakers, the spokesman said.

The biggest opposition Minjoo Party and the minor opposition People's Party have reportedly pushed the revision of law to lengthen the probe into the presidential scandal.

The independent counsel's probe is scheduled to end on Feb. 28. It can be extended for 30 days if Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting president, allows it, but possibility seems low as Hwang is one of the closest aides to the impeached leader.

Minjoo Party floor leader Woo Sang-ho said Monday that unless Hwang allows the extension, the parliament will amend the law, calling on the acting president to make his position clear in upcoming days.

Given the Righteous Party, which splintered away from the ruling Liberty Korea Party, expressed a position in favor of the need to extend the investigation, the amended law is highly likely to be passed in the parliament.

The spokesman said investigations into other conglomerates would be hard to be launched given the remaining period allowed for the special probe, adding that other conglomerates have not been subject to an official probe.

The special investigation has been centered on Samsung Group, the country's biggest family-run conglomerate, which is suspected of providing tens of millions of U.S. dollars to President Park's longtime friend Choi Soon-sil in return for getting help in the 2015 merger to create a de-facto holding company.

Other conglomerates, including Lotte, SK and CJ, are suspected to have been involved in the presidential scandal, but official probes have yet to be launched.

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was summoned by the special prosecutors Monday for the 15-hour questioning. A court refused to issue an arrest warrant for Lee last month.

The special prosecutors sought arrest warrant for the Samsung heir again on Tuesday. Enditem