A Seoul court sentenced a former aide to President Lee Myung-bak to a total of 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, on Monday for receiving bribes and illegal political funds.

Kim Hae-soo, now president of state-run Korea Construction Management, was convicted of having received 20 million won ($17,798) from a Busan Savings Bank lobbyist in 2010 in return for using his influence to help the now-suspended bank secure a construction project. He was sentenced to eight months behind bars, suspended for two years, on influence-peddling charges.

The 54-year-old Kim served as a political affairs secretary to Lee from 2008 to 2010.

Kim was sentenced to a further 10 months in jail, suspended for two years, for taking illegal political funds from the same lobbyist in 2008 when he unsuccessfully ran for a parliamentary seat for Incheon, west of Seoul, and from an environment-related company between 2005 and 2008.

The court ordered him to forfeit a total of 225 million won he received in bribes and political funds.

“Kim’s acceptance of money is recognized based on testimony from those involved and evidence, although he denies most of the charges against him except his acceptance of illegal political funds,” Kim Woo-jin, presiding judge of the Seoul Central District Court, said.

Despite the bank‘s far-reaching lobbying efforts that involved many other public officials, politicians and another key presidential aide, Busan Savings Bank had its business suspended in February, last year due to its insufficient capital base and illegitimate business practices.

Kim Du-woo, a former chief press secretary to President Lee, was also indicted for taking bribes from the suspended bank and is awaiting a ruling scheduled for Feb. 22. 

(Yonhap News)