Opposition Party, ``Ruling Party Admitted Press Suppression``

Rep. Nam Kyung-Pil of the Grand National Party asserted yesterday, ``Rep. Kim Myung-Sup, the secretary general of NMDP, recently urged a high official of the National Tax Service to reduce the additional collection of tax imposed to the press companies, which admits that the tax probe was carried out to suppress the press.``

Rep. Nam added, ``Rep. Kim admitted himself that he urged a high official of NTS while he was explaining that the defeat of the 10.25 by-election and re-election was caused by the bad public opinion concerning the tax probe against the press companies.``

However, Rep. Kim released a letter of explanation and denied the fact, saying ``the dialogue with the press reporters concerning the re-election and by-election was misinformed. When the Commissioner of NTS visited, we simply exchanged a encouraging words.``

Concerning the book, ``Why DJ failed in resolving the regional discrimination?`` written by Sung Han-Yong, a reporter of the Hangyore, Rep. Park Jong-Woong asserted, ``the President must be impeached since the book clearly testifies that the press suppression was carried out by the order of the President.``

However, Rep. Shim Jae-Kwon of NMDP criticized, ``the opposition party selectively quote this book ignoring the content to exploit its own interest from it.``

Meanwhile, Shim Gyu-Chul of GNP urged for the resignation of the chairperson of the Korean Press Foundation, insisting ``the Foundation increased the subsidy to the retreat of the staffs of the press related NGOs, whose radical remarks had evoked public criticism, by 29.7 percent to 12.36 million won. It reveals that the Foundation has an intention to continue press suppression until next year.``

jnghn@donga.com