Opposition Urge for Investigation of Speculative Investment of Ahn Jeong-Nam

The former Minister of Construction and Transportation, who resigned for supposed medical treatment when suspicions rose about his speculative investment in real estate, including the family town in Daechi-Dong, September last year, left for Vancouver via Japan on November 14th.

According to the related sources, Mr. Ahn stayed a night on November 13th in `Ana Hotel Narita` an affiliated hotel of Pan Japan Airline, near the Narita International Airport and departed for Vancouver on the next day. An eyewitness said that "Mr. Ahn put on a hat to hide his identification but I recognized him by his name on the air ticket."

The witness said that he had company throughout his trip and Mr. Ahn was heading to the U.S. or a European country.

Chances are high that Mr. Ahn is staying in Canada since his daughter also departed for Canada on the 7th, but his son-in-law said, "My wife and kids went for an overseas journey but I don`t know where my father-in-law is now."

Mr. Ahn was hospitalized in Samsung Seoul Hospital for treatment of his chronic diseases (diabetes and muscular cancer ) on September 27th right after he resigned from his office but left the hospital on November 12th. Mr. Ahn did not show up when his mother died on December 31st, increasing suspicions about his trip.

Meanwhile, Ahn Hee-Suck, assistant spokesperson of the Grand National Party, released a statement yesterday, which read "The leading figure of the press suppression, Mr. Ahn, left the country last November and has not returned yet. Every suspicion such as the accumulation of money for the purchase of enormous properties, speculative investment in the real estates, and illegal influence on the business of his brother, should not be ignored."

Spokesperson Ahn urged for an immediate investigation on the suspicions related to Mr. Ahn, saying, "Why are the investigation teams, including the Public Prosecution, the Financial Supervisory Commission, and the National Tax Service, not preparing for an investigation of Mr. Ahn even after he left the country without giving a single explanation about the related suspicion."

Spokesperson Ahn added, "Is it legal justice for the government to be infinitely generous to Mr. Ahn who is suspicious of corruption, but harshly strict to the critical press owners? If the government keeps trying to cover up the suspicions related with Mr. Ahn, we will take a special measure."

Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com