[Editorial] Prosecution`s Daunting Task

President Roh Moo-hyun vetoed a bill calling for another special counsel`s investigation into the “cash-for-summit” scandal. With the public witnessing intransigent attitudes shown by the ruling and opposition parties, the president`s rejection of a special counsel bill had been widely anticipated.

Truly, the ruling Millennium Democratic Party should take much of the responsibility for the failure in enacting a special counsel bill into a law because the ruling camp vehemently opposed a follow-up investigation led by a special counsel from the beginning, demanding the president`s veto on a opposition-led bill. However, the opposition Grand National Party is partly responsible for the matter because it gave the president a leeway to veto the bill by including cases that are impossible to verify into the scope of a special counsel`s investigation.

Even pubic suspicions are mounting over whether there might be a secret deal between Cheong Wa Dae and the opposition party given that the president had hinted a veto on a bill while the opposition party has vowed not to resubmit a special counsel bill in case of a presidential veto.

In addition, the ruling and opposition parties` reaction to the presidential veto on a bill is causing public confusions. The ruling MDP`s use of phrase, “Right prevailed in the end,” is not timely appropriate at this moment because it is not right for the government to stop unveiling all the truths behind the suspicious money transfer to North Korea. Meanwhile, there is not a firm ground for the opposition to criticize the president for having double standards, threatening to initiate a special counsel probe into the 2002 presidential campaign funds. When it comes to a new special counsel bill, the opposition party will not be free from being accused for using double standards.

As a result of the presidential veto on a special counsel bill, the prosecution has to clear up remaining suspicions over the cash-for-summit scandal case. The prosecution`s important task is to go to the bottom of the lingering suspicions over the case including another suspicion over the 1.5 billion won ($13 million) that former presidential chief of staff Park Ji-won allegedly accepted in kickbacks from Hyundai in April 2000.

The prosecution should carry out a through and responsible investigation into the allegation that former presidential chief of staff Park took bribery from Hyundai to avoid a dishonorable situation in which the political circle calls for a special counsel`s investigation. To restore its tainted reputation and rebuild public confidence, the prosecution should do its utmost efforts to uncover all the truths behind related cases of the former government`s secret cash transfer to North Korea.