Controversies About Special Prosecution Law and Parliamentary Inspection of the Administration

The Grand National Party submitted a revised bill to extend the period of the Special Prosecution due on 25th up to 90 days and to expand the range of investigation to the independent cases revealed in the process of the investigation.

GNP described in the revised bill that “corruption cases related to the relatives and the core aides of the President have been revealed in the process of the special investigation. The truth of the corruption cases related to power holders must be revealed to the public in detail by the revision of the Special Prosecution law.”

In response, the New Millennium Democratic Party concluded a party`s platform opposed to the extension of the investigation period, criticizing “the submission of the revised bill by GNP is only a political mechanization to patch up the inner conflicts of the party and it does not fit to the purpose of special prosecution `to investigate a particular case in a limited period` that the ruling and the opposition parties had agreed on.”

Meanwhile, with regard to the moves of GNP to extend the period of investigation, the Special Prosecution expressed its objection, saying “Special detectives have their own schedule and they know the investigation will be over on 25th.”

GNP decided to go ahead with a plan to carry out another special prosecution for the investigation on the suspicions about corruption cases related to 13 relatives or core personnel of the President when the parliamentary inspection is not accepted.

However, NMDP urged GNP to withdraw the request for the parliamentary inspection on the 13 persons and declared that the party will demand for the parliamentary inspection on the `luxurious villa` of the Lee Hoi-Chang family and the military service problem of Mr. Lee`s son.

GNP argued that, since the corruptions and the monopoly of the national administration of the Kim Dae-Jung Peace Foundation became the serious concerning of the people, President Kim must break down KDJPF by himself and request for the prosecutor`s investigation and the money that the Foundation has raised must be placed into the state coffer.

However, a source from KDJPF expressed its regrets, saying “100 million won that Kim Seung-Hwan, a friend of Kim Hong-Up, the second son of the President, wired to the account of KDJPF has nothing to do with the money of Lee Yong-Ho. If the Special Prosecution plays with the press as if the money is related with Lee Yong-Ho, it would be a very immoral behavior.”

chang@donga.com