Military draft graft by leading echelon must be probed

With the arrest of Park Noh-Hang, a key suspect in the military draft scandal, who had been in flight for three years, public concern is that the whole picture about the draft corruption, which deepened the people`s distrust in the military conscription administration, could be brought to light.

As we remember, Park, a former master sergeant who worked at the Military Manpower Administration, was suspected of masterminding various draft-related irregularities in connection with draft exemptions, postponement of recruitment due to illness, the screening of the Korean Augmentation Troops to United States Army (KATUSAs) and changes in assignments. About 100 cases in this connection were laid bare, but it is said that these are no more than the tip of the iceberg. Because of the failure to arrest the culprit, the joint prosecution-military investigation team wrapped up its probes into the draft corruption scandal in February with the apprehensions of lightweight offenders, although the investigation team had indicated more than 300 suspects.

Before anything else, the investigation authorities should shed light on the suspicions involving the privileged echelons who gave money in bribes to Park and his seniors who he gave money. Noting that the joint probe team was criticized for having exonerated the high-ranking or powerful suspects this time, such lingering suspicions must be cleared away through thorough investigations. Should there be some outside pressure against the probes, the fact also should be determined this time. In this regard, we would like to recall the fact that whenever skepticism was raised about the implications of the politicians and high-ranking officials with the draft scandal, the investigation authorities came up with the excuses that their suspicions would be verified only when Park was arrested.

At the same time, the details about Park`s escape and hiding need to be cleared. Considering that Park could live a life of a fugitive for three years despite a nationwide hunt by offering a reward of 20 million won for his arrest, a suspicion is raised that there must have been some persons who took care of him for fears of his arrest in connection with their own involvement in the scandal. It is hardly believable that Park committed so much wrongdoing alone.

With the crackdown on the draft scam as a turning point, the conscription-related irregularities should be wiped out once and for all. In particular, draft dodging by the sons of the privileged class is sure to deepen social disharmony. Because the question of draft evasion has become serious enough to the appearance of Internet site providing information on the methods of draft dodging, the military manpower agency ought to make the probes this time a momentum for resolving the particular question fundamentally.

The related authorities need to investigate the case with a fresh start. From this viewpoint, it is necessary that the disbanded joint prosecution-military investigation team should be reorganized. The process of the future investigation will be closely watched. Yet we like to caution that the probes should not be exploited for some political purposes.