Disputes about the Involvement of KDJPF

The Grand National Party demanded for a special investigation on the Kim Dae-Jung Peace Foundation t clarify the circumstances and the wire pullers of the documents related with the press tax probe found in the house of Mr. Lee Soo-Dong, former standing executive of KDJPF.

Lee Sang-Deuk, the Secretary General, said that “the devilish machination of KDJPF for the extension of the current regime and for the press suppression is publicly revealed. If the Special Prosecution has a limitation to investigate on KDJPF, the Public Prosecution must set for overall investigation on the Foundation.”

Lee Jae-Oh, the floor leader of GNP, urged for the dissolution of KDJPF, arguing “it seems that the Foundation itself was involved in the press tax probe considering the relationship of former Commissioner of the National Tax Service Ahn Jeong-Nam and former standing executive Lee Soo-Dong.”

GNP decided to submit a request for the parliamentary inspection of the government offices to investigate on the suspicions related with 13 core personnel or President`s relatives including Mr. Lee Soo-Dong and to grill on the suspicion about the KDJPF`s involvement in the press suppression at the Standing Committee of Culture and Tourism on 14th.

Kim Jong-Pil, the president of the United Liberal Democrats, also held a press conference and remarked, “It must be a serious problem if KDJPF worked on such and such measures about press companies or next administration. The Foundation must clarify to the public what is the identity of the Foundation and where it collected money to construct and operate the buildings.”

Rep. Lee Nak-Yeon, the spokesperson of the New Millennium Democratic Party, released the party`s official position that “the issues related to KDJPF must be investigated by law and treated by law.”

A source from KDJPF said, “the Foundation has never performed a research on domestic political issues and therefore did not make such documents. Since Mr. Lee Soo-Dong is not computer-literate, I don`t think he made such documents.”

He added, “If those documents were found in his house as released by the Special Prosecution, chances are high that he received it from outside and, if so, it has nothing to do with KDJPF.”

Sung-Won Park swpark@donga.com · Hyung-Kwon Pu bookum90@donga.com