Ruling-Opposition Parties Agreed on Special Prosecutor System in Principle

The ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) and the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) agreed to operate the special prosecutor system to investigate the G&G chairperson Lee Yong-Ho`s lobby activities at the floor leaders` meeting yesterday, and decided to discuss details, such as the time and method, after the National Assembly`s audit on the Ministry of Justice.

Therefore, the third special prosecutor system is anticipated to be introduced following the `clothes lobby scandal` in 1999 and `the Korea Mint Corporation strike inducement case`.

However, while the GNP insists on the Assembly`s investigation in the National Assembly before operating the special prosecutor system, the MDP, defining the GNP`s request as a political offense, maintains that it cannot accept both the special prosecutor system and the Assembly`s investigation simultaneously. Hence, dispute over the time to introduce the special prosecutor system and the range of the system is anticipated.

Prior to this, President Kim Dae-Jung ordered Han Kwang-Ok, chairperson of the MDP, to accept the special prosecutor system to investigate the Lee`s scandal if it is necessary.

President Kim said at the social affair-related ministers` meeting in Cheong Wa Dae, ``The Lee`s scandal becomes the subject of people`s interest and suspicion. While the Prosecution should reveal the truth through the special investigation, it should introduce the special prosecutor system if the special investigation is not satisfactory.``

President Kim added that ``the special prosecutor system is fundamentally problematic. For example, even the U.S. has not operated the system. However, if the opposition party wants, and if it is necessary to openly reveal the truth to people, I ordered the MDP chairperson to accept the special prosecutor system.``

After the floor leaders` meeting, Lee Sang-Soo, the MDP floor leader, said that ``as President Kim announced that he would accept the special prosecutor system, the special prosecutor system seems to be operated through the ruling-opposition agreement.``

However, Lee Jae-Oh, the GNP floor leader, said that ``if the special prosecutor system is operated alone, the result may be almost same as the Prosecution`s result, and it may bring forth authority and legal debate, since the [Lee`s] scandal is a big corruption case in which the power is involved. Hence, the search for truth through the Assembly`s investigation should precede.``

Meanwhile, Kwon Chul-Hyun, the GNP spokesperson, said in regard to the President Kim`s order to accept the special prosecutor system, ``President began to recognize the seriousness of the situation.``

Yun Seung-Mo ysmo@donga.com