South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Hong Joon-pyo repeated his denial of corruption allegations Monday, claiming that the illicit money in question was not a bribe but his wife’s secret funds.

Hong, currently being investigated by the prosecution for allegedly receiving 100 million won ($92,000) from deceased businessman Sung Woan-jong, claimed that the money came from a secret fund stashed away by his wife without his knowledge. The money is suspected to have been used during the 2011 primaries of Hong’s ruling Saenuri Party.

Suspicions grew when the prosecution said Hong failed to explain the source of 120 million won in election funds. It also said Sunday that Hong and Sung’s aide surnamed Yoon ― who supposedly delivered the money ― had met in June 2011, contrary to what the governor had been claiming all along.

Through a Facebook posting and a press conference, Hong said the 120 million won came from his wife’s secret fund, one that amounted to 300 million won at one point, which she kept hidden from him. He said his wife stashed away some of his earnings as a lawyer and the special allowance given to floor leaders of each party.

“As a ruling party floor leader, I would get 40 million won to 50 million won each month. I gave the leftover funds to my wife, who kept them in a bank safety deposit box,” Hong said. He claimed that at the time, he had no knowledge about where the money came from and learned about the source only after the prosecution started an investigation into the graft scandal.

“I believe that the prosecution is pressuring me by revealing the evidence to the public,” he said, adding he was willing to comply with investigations of the fund.

The governor also denied the special investigative team’s accusations that he, his staff and Yoon had met at a building in the National Assembly in June, although authorities claimed they have acquired enough evidence.

But the prosecutors said Hong’s claims were not convincing. They are expected to file charges against him for violation of the political fund act.

The special investigative team is also conducting an investigation into an allegation that Hong’s aides attempted to contact witnesses related to the graft scandal in hopes of pressuring them not to give unfavorable testimonies against him.

The prosecutors summoned Hong’s former aide ― a local university head surnamed Eom ― who is accused of asking Yoon to change his testimonies about the supposed illegal transaction between himself and Hong.

Hong’s explanation about the money also raised eyebrows of the opposition, who argued that Hong should be arrested right away.

“It appears more and more clear that (Hong) attempted perjury on top of trying to destroy evidence. If he had been a member of the opposition or an ordinary citizen, he would have been arrested 10 times over,” said Rep. Jun Byung-hun of the main opposition New Political Alliance for Democracy.

Similarly, Rep. Lim Nae-hyun of the NPAD said if he had indeed given the operating expenses to his wife at his discretion, it should be considered embezzlement. He also held Hong responsible for not reporting 300 million won in assets to the authorities.

Hong is one of eight politicians whom Sung pinpointed as receiving illicit political funds before committing suicide last month. The revelation sparked a graft scandal, in the wake of which former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo resigned.

The prosecution is now likely to summon Lee this week to question him over allegations that he received illegal funds from Sung while running in the 2013 by-elections.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)