The Korean Bar Association on Wednesday said it is considering disciplining the former head of Samsung’s legal team Kim Yong-chul, who claims he was the bagman in bribing senior prosecutors on behalf of the conglomerate for years. An insider said a standing committee met on Monday to discuss whether Kim’s revelations violate confidentiality clauses. When a lawyer violates client confidentiality, the KBA is obliged to take disciplinary action. That includes disbarring, suspension of duty and imposing fines. A senior figure in the association said the KBA “will decide whether to discipline Kim after watching the result of prosecutor’s investigation.”

Regarding Kim’s allegations that the Samsung Group opened a bank account in his name to deposit secret funds, The Financial Supervisory Commission on Wednesday said an investigation will have to wait. Hong Young-man, a spokesman for the FSC, told reporters Woori Bank, where the accounts were allegedly opened, is carrying out an internal investigation. “When the results come out, the FSC will decide whether to investigate the case,” Hong said. But he added, “There might be limits to Woori Bank’s investigation, such as a controversy over genuineness of documents, including the procuration. This is where the investigative office must step in.” Kim claims he himself never signed a procuration for the account.

Meanwhile, the civic group People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) held a press conference to denounce prosecutors in front of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office in Seocho dong, Seoul. The PSPD and Lawyers for a Democratic Society have filed a criminal complaint with the Supreme Prosecutor's Office against Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee on suspicion of embezzlement, bribery and malfeasance. But prosecutors say they want a list of the prosecutors who were allegedly taking bribes first.

“The prosecutors’ demand indicates that they lack confidence in themselves since they need a list of bribed officials for a fair investigation,” PSPD said in a statement. “It also means they admit there are plenty of prosecutors who were on a 'Samsung scholarship.” Prosecutors were adamant they need the list, and Samsung continued to deny the allegations.

(englishnews@chosun.com )