National Assembly Tick-and-Tack, Justice Minister Persuades an Jeong-Nam`s Return `

The ruling and opposition camps took offensive against each other through questions to the government on politics, unification, diplomacy, and security issues on April 10, including the remark of `leftist regime` made by former president of the Grand National Party (GNP) Lee Hoe-Chang, press view of candidate Roh Moo-Hyun of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), and various power elite irregularities such as `Lee Yong-Ho gate.`

GNP Rep. Park Se-Hwan claimed, `President Kim said that the Korean War is an unification attempt by force. Isn`t this regime a leftist regime as it takes a revisionist view on history, which sees the invasion of North Korea as a mere attempt for unification?`

Then he demanded that candidate Roh should step down, saying, `There are disputes on what candidate Roh meant when he made remarks such as nationalization of major newspapers when he takes power and an intended shut-down of Dong-a Ilbo.`

But MDP Rep. Lee Hae-Chan criticized former GNP president Lee Hoe-Chang, `In the same way the Nazis established an ultra-right chauvinistic regime by agitating the middle class who was afraid of the rapid growth of labor class, Lee is mimicking such an agitation tactic,` and urged him to `return quietly to his former job, a lawyer.`

Additionally GNP Rep. Yoon Doo-Hwan disclosed, ` There are documents that recorded issues such as Korea Tigerpools Inc., the athletic lottery corporation, has had inside deals when the corporation took over KOSDAQ registered corporations A and B, the regime`s elite power is involved in the selection process of project operator, ` and asked whether, `The Seoul district prosecution office has stopped a secretive investigation on the issue.`

Justice Minister Song Jeong-Ho answered, `The prosecution office has not made any secretive investigation on Korea Tigerpools Inc.` Minister Song said on the irregularities suspicion case of former construction and transportation minister An Jeong-Nam who went overseas, `We are inquiring about the exact whereabouts of former minister An and are asking his relatives to persuade him to return to Korea,`

In-Soo Song issong@donga.com