Arrest warrant sought for former finance minister over NIS fund scandal

Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for former Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan on Monday over the allegations that he took bribes from the spy agency during the preceding Park Geun-hye administration.
This photo, taken Dec. 7, 2017, shows former Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan leaving the prosecution's office in Seoul after an interrogation over bribery allegations. (Yonhap)
This photo, taken Dec. 7, 2017, shows former Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan leaving the prosecution's office in Seoul after an interrogation over bribery allegations. (Yonhap)

Choi, currently a lawmaker of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, is suspected of having pocketed 100 million won (US$92,000) from the National Intelligence Service in 2014.

Investigators believe the money was paid to lobby him for retaining the spy agency's off-book funds when then-opposition parties pushed to scale them down on the basis of their untraceable nature.

Choi was questioned last week for the allegations. He has dismissed them as "false accusations." Source by the Yonhap.

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