Statements raise troubling issues

The recent statements by vice Secretary General, Yoon Chul-Sang, raise two specific issues of alarm. One is the question of whether the ruling Millenium Democratic Party has trained its April 13 general election candidates how to under-report their campaign funds. The other is whether the MDP had obtained classified information and documents from the prosecutors, or from the National Election Commission (NEC) to prepare countermeasures. Although the MDP maintains that Vice Secretary General Yoon`s statements were "exaggerations far removed from the truth," they were private statements made by the key figure involved in the Party election campaign. It would be difficult to accept the MDP`s denial entirely.

The citizen groups charge that if the MDP had indeed trained their candidates to under-report their campaign spending, it would be a clear violation of election laws. Such training would be chargeable under the election laws as either acts of aiding and abetting criminal activity, or as complicity in acts of criminal activity. "Regardless of party affiliation, there is a great possibility that a majority of candidates have broken the laws," said Park Won-Soon, prominent civic group leader and lawyer. "If Vice Secretary Yoon`s statements are true, it is either a first-degree crime or at least a crime of conspiracy. It was for these very problems in the election laws that the NEC has been asked to publicize the reported campaign spending of the candidates,¡± Park said. ¡°They refused. NEC is somewhat responsible as well."

The Political Watch in Korea stated on Saturday "We cannot shake off the suspicion raised by Vice Secretary General Yoon`s statement, which revealed that the ruling Party has systematically concealed its illegal activity in the election through training in illegal book-keeping practices. There needs to be a special prosecution committee established to bring the truth out in the open.¡± The citizens` groups have submitted a request for sincere self-reflection and apology by the ruling party, for the greater empowerment of the NEC, and for public disclosure of the candidates` campaign spending.