A thorough Investigation Is Demanding for Lee Yong-Ho Case

Choi Kyong-Won, the Justice Minister, made a special order yesterday to Prosecutors General Shin Seung-Nam concerning the financial corruption case related with Lee Yong-Ho, the president of G&G, which is currently under the investigation of the Prosecutors Office.

Minister Choi remarked that ``suspicions of lobbies from the political and bureaucratic sides have been raised concerning this incident. Get the bottom of the case by a thorough investigation by the law and principle without the social status of the suspects.``

Mr. Choi also asked for ``the best efforts of the Prosecutors Office to recover the support of the people and to dispel the suspicions of the people by the investigation.`` stating that ``even after the best effort of the Prosecutors Office, the outcome of the investigation has often not satisfied the expectation of the people.``

Meanwhile, after the special order of the Justice Minister, the Supreme Prosecutors Office released a press material, `the Prosecutors Office`s Position on the Investigation of Lee Yong-Ho case` which reads ``[the Prosecutors Office] will thoroughly investigate the case by the law and principle. When a concrete evidence of the crime is revealed during the investigation, we will carry out a thorough investigation without exception.``

However, the Prosecutors Office asserted that ``a political side raised a kind of suspicion theory without providing any credible evidence and the press mushrooms the suspicions by reporting the allegation without any careful verification.`` The Prosecutors Office also warned that ``if the press continues to disturb the strict application of the law and to damage the credibility of the Prosecutors Office by the groundless report and yellow journalistic exposures, the PO will take appropriate countermeasures including an appeal to the law.``

A source from the PO said, ``the PO`s position has no difference from the special order of the Justice Minister. There is no disagreement on this investigation between the Justice Ministry and the Prosecutors Office.``

The source clarified that ``the suspicions and rumors that the Prosecutors have a cozy relationship with Mr. Lee have no ground. It is not worthy of investigation and therefore we cannot investigate on the matter.``

Lee Soo-Hyung sooh@donga.com