Lee Sang-ho receives transparency award MBC-TV reporter Lee Sang-ho received an award from Transparency International Korea yesterday(2005.12.9) for his breakthrough report in July about illegal wiretapping carried out by the National Intelligence Service on politicians, businessmen and journalists in 1997. TI-Korea awarded Lee and nine others at the Seoul Press Center yesterday on the United Nations` anti-corruption day. Lee`s July report disclosed a conversation between the vice chairman of the Samsung Group and the then publisher of the JoonAng Daily newspaper, discussing plans to deliver political funds to a candidate ahead of the 1997 presidential elections. Lee`s report launched the prosecution`s probe into the illegal wiretapping and Samsung`s illegal political funds. Meanwhile, Lee has been summoned by the prosecution as a suspect in the probe. He faces possible indictment for disclosing the illegally wiretapped conversations, in violation of the private communications law. Those given awards were chosen by the number of recommendations each received through surveys of 700 organizations including newspapers, internet, public agencies, and civil organizations. The awards committee consists of 10 judges who measure the candidates` level of effort, consistency and their social influence on eradicating corruption in society. TI-Korea also awarded several teachers for whistle-blowing irregularities found in their school`s accounting books, the leader of a labor union, and an education inspection officer in Busan city, among others. By Kwon Ji-young, Korea Herald