President Kim opposes special prosecution

In connection with the Hanvit Bank scandal, President Kim Dae-Jung stated on September 16

that the ruling and the opposition parties could discuss all ways possible whether it be through congressional inspection or congressional investigation, in the National Assembly. During a luncheon with the candidates who had failed in their bids for Supreme Council members of the ruling Millenium Democratic Party, the response came from President Kim to a statement made by Rep. Chough Soon-Hyung. Rep. Cho stated that the failure to clarify the allegations made in the Hanvit Bank scandal could lead to an inevitable naming of an independent special prosecutor, as such, a thorough investigation must be made now by the Prosecutor's Office. However, President Kim expressed his position that the current trend around the world is the abolishment of the special prosecutor and that even in Korea the implementation of the special prosecutor for the boutique lobby scandal resulted in more abuse. President Kim held a firm ground against such measure. Also, to Rep. Kim Ki-Jai's request to President Kim to be prudent in having National Information Service general director Lim Dong-Won stand at the front of inter-Korean relationship, President Kim stated that as the North's Secretary Kim Yong-Sun also is in charge of South Korean policy, it is not wrong for the NIS general director to be in charge of North Korean policy.

Yun Seung-Mo ysmo@donga.com