Prosecutors have opened a compulsory investigation into the office of People Power Party lawmaker Baek Jong-heon to examine allegations that a former aide took money from a medical device company.
The Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 1 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, headed by senior prosecutor Kook Won, searched Baek's office at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 26th, according to legal sources.
The former aide, identified only as A, is suspected of receiving tens of millions of won from a medical device company over three years starting in 2021 in return for favors. Prosecutors believe A helped the company by holding a policy forum hosted by the lawmaker's office to get its products covered by the national health insurance scheme. A is also believed to have collected fraudulent salary payments under the names of relatives in exchange.
Prosecutors searched A's residence and the medical device company in June. Having completed their analysis of the seized materials, they plan to summon A and officials from the company for questioning.
