Alleged Aid of 400 Billion Won to N.K. Becoming Point of Contention Again

For the allegation that on the request of outgoing president Kim Dae-jung, Hyundai Merchant Marine gave North Korea 400 billion won, the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) on Thursday decided to insist on its demand for the independent counsel system and the National Assembly`s investigation into the administration affairs. Rep. Moon Hee-sang, President-elect Roh`s chief presidential secretary-designate, made comments that if the alleged bribery was made in President Kim`s exercising the sovereign power, his act would be beyond legal reproach, raising controversy.

In response, however, the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) has decided not to accept the GNP demand, criticizing that it is part of political maneuvering.

So, ahead of the new government`s inauguration, the ruling and opposition parties are likely to conflict head on over the alleged bribing of North Korea.

"The public wants to know what the truth is about the suspicions of President Kim`s bribing North Korea," GNP leader Seo Chung-won said at a senior party member meeting. "If the arriving government accepts our demand for independent counsel and parliamentary investigation, we are ready to cooperate with it. If the President-elect doesn`t get to the bottom of it, he would meet with tremendous resistance."

In a statement, GNP spokesman Park Jong-hee also said that President Kim "spent taxpayers` money on the security of his government without the consent of the public and the National Assembly." "To cover up the allegation, on the pretext of an act of ruling, is outrageous. Also, for the establishment of transparent and reliable inter-Korean relations, the truth should be disclosed."

Meeting with Rep. Jeong Gyun-hwan of the MDP on Thurday afternoon, Rep. Lee Gyu-taek of the GNP conveyed the GNP`s stand that if its demand were not met, it would be impossible for the bill on the presidential transition and the bill on confirmation hearing to pass through the National Assembly on Jan. 22.

However, Rep. Jeong dismissed the GNP demand, saying, "The Board of Audit and Inspection already started its inspection and some people involved in the allegations are under the prosecution`s investigation. So, parliamentary investigation and independent counsel are impossible." As a result, the negotiation between the two party delegates collapsed.

Meanwhile the two lawmakers reached agreement on the principle of holding confirmation hearings for the so-called "big four" – chiefs of the National Intelligence Service, the prosecution, the National Tax Service, and the National Police Agency. Yet, they failed to reach a conclusion on the issues including whether to open the hearing on the national intelligence chief-designate to the public.

Sung-Won Park swpark@donga.com