Gov’t Probes into Public Servants to Establish Official Discipline

The debate over the government’s investigation into public officials for the purpose of establishing greater official discipline is creating a stir, as the Grand National Party (GNP) and the government officials oppose to the investigation.

- Government’s position on investigation: The government is responding to GNP’s opposition, by arguing that its investigation of public officials is not an unusual activity of the government. The government also makes it clear that professors of the state universities and state-run think-tanks researchers’ participation in the opposition party’s newly established National Reform Committee (NRC) is not the subject of investigation.

A high ranking official of the ruling party said, ``Although GNP has made NRC as a central issue in the government’s investigation, the government has not embarked on investigation into NRC.``

However, another official of the ruling party did not exclude the possibility of investigation into NRC by saying that ``it is not certain whether each ministry is making its own inquiry on the identity of NRC participants.`` It is also reported that the main subject of investigation is focused on a phenomenon of desertion within the public official circle during the latter half of the current regime. For instance, a high ranking official was left behind from promotion because he was found to have said that ``Why work hard? This government has only one more year to run.``

- Call into question: The opposition parties have reacted strongly to the probes by arguing that the government’s investigation into public officials is to prevent the public officials from aligning themselves with the opposition party. The opposition party also argues that the purpose of the government’s investigation into public officials is to prevent the people’s desertion followed by the ruling party’s defeat in the election on April 26.

As suspicion on the government’s investigation is amplified within the public official circle, various side-effects are being generated, such as spread of vicious rumors and cynicism.

- Opposition party’s reaction and the expert’s opinion: The opposition GNP held a presidential meeting as well as committee meeting yesterday, and urged the immediate suspension of the government’s investigation.

Kwon Chul-Hyun, spokesperson of GNP, said, ``It was reported that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) has launched secret investigation into those who are rumored to be joining the opposition party’s NRC.’’ He also argued that ``NIS’ threats and its investigation into NRC participants should be stop right now.``

Reflecting on such a reaction, lawyer Lee Jong-Wang said, ``Law is not something one can apply separately to the ruling and the opposition party.``

Ham Sung-Deuk, professor at Korea University, said that ``the government’s probes into the opposition party’s NRC may look as if the government is concerned about ‘lame duck’.`` However, if the opposition party can introduce good policies through NRC, it may generate the positive effect of policy competition between the ruling and opposition parties.``

Yun Seung-Mo ysmo@donga.com