Vice sports minister is questioned in S Korea

SOUTH Korean prosecutors questioned a former vice sports minister yesterday as their probe into the corruption scandal engulfing President Park Geunhye spreads to preparations for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Park is under pressure over her shadowy confidant Choi Soonsil, who is accused of using her personal ties with the president to coerce local firms to donate millions of dollars to non-profit foundations Choi then used for personal gain.

Kim Chong, who served as vice sports minister for three years until last month, is accused of helping Choi’s foundations win lucrative state contracts.

He is also accused of pressuring a former head of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games organising committee to resign after he refused to award a contract to a firm linked with Choi.

Cho Yang-ho, the chairman of Korean Air, took the helm at the committee in 2014 when it was struggling with construction delays and funding problems. He is widely credited with turning the situation around and bringing in big-name sponsorship – but abruptly resigned in May.

He said reports he was forced out by Kim for refusing to help Choi are “90 percent correct”.

Prosecutors are also investigating whether Kim played a role in a recent decision by his ministry to provide a cash subsidy to a winter sports foundation run by Choi’s niece, who is widely seen as her key aide.

Prosecutors are also seeking to quiz Park over her role in the scandal.