Prime Minster Lee, ``Special Inspection over Government Officials` Corruption Cases``

Prime Minister Lee Han-Dong said in his response at the parliamentary interpellation session of government on politics regarding the government official`s corruption cases, ``They will be punished as a warning to others as exemplary through special inspections.``

Prime Minster also said with regard to civil groups` campaigns against political candidates, ``I understand that President`s remark on this campaigns was not intended to allow for illegality, but rather to speak of a positive dimension of NGO activities.`` He added, ``If any illegal election campaigns are conducted in two elections of next year, they will be punished strictly according to law and principle.``

Prime Minister Lee continued, ``New legislation proposals, containing a reform of the prosecutor`s office, including the establishment of Special Investigation Police Agency and the participation of outside figures in the prosecution personnel committee will be prepared soon and will be submitted to the National Assembly.``

He also said, ``It is true that Russia has proposed to exchange the government load for Russia`s economic development with the support to North Korea`s project for modernization of development equipments.`` and continued, ``Even though Russia requested to put this on the agenda, but we clearly rejected it.``

Moon Chul fullmoon@donga.com