Ex-lawmaker aide indicted on W95m bribery charges for favoring healthcare startup

A former aide to a National Assembly lawmaker has been indicted in custody on charges of accepting 95 million won ($69,900) in bribes in exchange for providing business favors to a company.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit 1 said Wednesday it had indicted the former aide, identified only as A, 46, who worked in the office of People Power Party lawmaker Baek Jong-heon, on charges including bribery. The CEO of a healthcare startup, identified as B, 39, who allegedly paid the bribes, was also indicted in custody on charges of embezzlement and bribery.

A is accused of using his position in Baek's office — which sits on the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee — to arrange for government agencies to adopt the startup's programs and to pass along information about the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's ongoing investigations to B. In return, A allegedly received 95 million won in bribes by having a relative fraudulently registered as an employee of the startup and collecting a monthly salary in that person's name.

A also faces charges of fraudulently hiring an acquaintance as a secretary in the lawmaker's office, collecting about 33 million won in salary payments from the National Assembly as a result. Prosecutors separately indicted that acquaintance without detention on charges including fraud.

B is accused of embezzling about 900 million won in company funds by registering family members and acquaintances as fictitious employees, then channeling 95 million won of that amount to A as bribes. B also allegedly submitted falsified project proposals for publicly funded contracts, fraudulently obtaining about 440 million won in subsidies.

Prosecutors launched a full-scale investigation earlier this year when they raided A's residence and the startup's offices on June 17. On Aug. 26, they conducted an additional search of Baek's office to examine a work computer A had used during his time there.