Opposition Hints at Dramatic Reduction in Scope of New Special Counsel Probe

The main opposition Grand National Party is now considering dramatically reducing the scope of the new special counsel bill calling for the independent counsel’s probe into the cash-for-summit scandal.

GNP floor leader Lee Q-tak said Friday at a meeting with reporters that “at today’s secret meeting of major GNP officeholders, participants have reached a consensus on reducing the scope of the GNP-led special counsel bill calling for additional work into the case. The reduced scope of the investigation may include things that the previous investigation failed to uncover as well as the inclusion of the 15 billion won bribery case involving former president Kim Dae-jung’s chief aide Park Ji-won.”

The GNP floor leader hinted that the new special counsel bill was revised in a direction to which Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling Millennium Democratic Party liked. “The new special counsel bill which saw a dramatic change in the scope of its investigation will be accepted by President Roh without any difficulties,” he said.

Meanwhile, newly elected party chairman of the GNP Choi Byung-yul said in an interview with a CBS radio program that “the 15 billion won bribery case has emerged during the probe as led by special counsel Song Doo-whan. He successfully unveiled much of the truth concerning the cash-for-summit scandal. I think the 15 billion won bribery case should be investigated by the new special counsel,” hinting that the opposition party will not make any concessions as to the new bill.

The new bill submitted by the GNP on June 25 was passed through the National Assembly on June 27. The Parliamentary Judiciary Committee will vote on the new bill in the near future.

The new special counsel bill led by the GNP initially included an investigation into the 15 billion won bribery case and other suspected cases, including involvement of Cheong Wa Dae, the National Intelligence Service and the Board of Audit and Inspection into the secret money remittance to North Korea, and the manner in which Hyundai Construction and Hyundai Electronics sent money to the North.

Min-Hyuk Park mhpark@donga.com