GNP gets tough with MDP lawmaker's remarks

The main opposition Grand National Party has decided to take stringent steps against Rep. Lee Won-Sung of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, who stated that his party would have to reform politics with the help of the prosecution authority.

To this end, the GNP decided Saturday to form a special investigative committee, headed by party Vice President Lee Bu-Young.

At a meeting of the party leadership, the opposition GNP concluded that the MDP lawmaker's remarks exposed the prosecution's political maneuvering and decided to form a special committee to probe the background of the MDP legislator's statement as well as the latest illegal loan scandal involving the Dongbang Mutual Savings & Finance Co., according to party spokesman Kwon Chul-Hyeon.

The GNP spokesman demanded in a statement that the government should dismiss all the prosecutors in charge of the Dongbang loan scandal, including Kim Kak-Young, chief of the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office, and Lee Kee-Bae, the third deputy chief of the office, adding that this case should be investigated through the introduction of an independent prosecutor.

Meanwhile, GNP vice spokesman Chang Kwang-Keun said in a statement that the MDP lawmaker's remarks attest to the fact that the ruling camp has ventured to destroy the opposition party with the prosecution spearheading the drive, and demanded that he resign from his parliamentary membership.