Controversies on Political Funds

The controversies about the political funds are even getting more heated by the GNP`s suspecting that former NMDP Supreme Council member Kwon Rho-Gap supported Rhee In-Jae and by the response of NMDP bringing up the issue of the political fund of Lee Hoi-Chang.

Nam Kyung-Pil, the spokesperson of GNP, insisted at the party`s executive meeting that “if Mr. Kwon supported Chung Dong-Young, who was opposed to him, with 20 million won, he must have given much more money to Mr. Rhee for whom Mr. Kwon publicly expressed his support.”

Spokesperson Nam also argued, “an interview that Mr. Rhee said “I did not receive money directly from Mr. Kwon implies that he received money from Kwon indirectly. Mr. Rhee should reveal the money that he received directly or indirectly.”

Rep. Lee Sang-Deuk, the secretary general of GNP, also urged for the immediate police investigation, saying “the use of illegal political fund confessed by Kim Keun-Tae is a clear violation of the political fund law. The National Election Commission and the Public Prosecution will not be excused for covering up the case just because they are related with the ruling party.”

In response, Rep. Seol Hoon (NMDP) held a press conference to raise a suspicion that “Mr. Lee Hoi-Chang rented two luxurious condominiums of 105 pyongs in Gahoi-dong with the family of his son Jeong-Yeon. How could Mr. Lee who seems to have any particular income except for the salary afford the rent over 200 million won for two years.”

Rep. Seol also asserted that “some people suspect that Mr. Lee may be using the money of 11 billion won that the police still have not verified out of the total 23.67 billion won raised by the National Tax Service.”

Spokesperson Lee Nak-Yeon requested for an explanation of Mr. Lee H.C. arguing that “Mr. Lee H.C. said he used only 250 million won including 100 million won deposit during the GNP`s competition for Presidential candidacy in 1997. However, it is very doubtful that he did not spend a single penny for the operation of local chapters.”

Meanwhile, NMDP decided to rush into the deliberation of the revised political fund law submitted by 26 lawmakers including Rep. Chung Jang-Sun (NMDP) to guarantee the transparency of political fund. The revised bill allows the lawmakers to build their supporting groups and to collect money legally to increase the transparency of political fund and obligate the parties to report their budgets and the statement of account to the general meeting and publicize the report to the public.

In-Soo Song issong@donga.com · Young-Chan Yoon yyc11@donga.com