WASHINGTON (AP) - John Kerry's campaign collected a maximum $2,000 check from the recently arrested son of South Korea's disgraced former president, and some of its fund-raisers met several times with a South Korean government official who was trying to organize a Korean-American political group.
The Kerry campaign said it did not know about the $2,000 donation from Chun Jae-yong or his background until informed by The Associated Press and has decided to return the money to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
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Kerry has been forced on several occasions to answer questions or return donations after media reports that he accepted money from donors with unsavory backgrounds.
For instance, Kerry received $10,000 in donations in the 1990s through controversial Democratic fund-raiser Johnny Chung after his Senate office arranged a tour for Chung at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Johnny Chung later pleaded guilty to making illegal straw donations, including some to Kerry.