`More Surveillance on Relatives of Power Elites`

President Kim Dae-Jung commanded during the presentation of major policy programs of the Korea Independent Commission against Corruption (KICAC) on May 13 to strengthen `the institutional framework to watch and look into the relatives and the surrounding of the power elites in the future.`

President Kim reiterated his apology for the alleged involvement in the irregularities of his sons in the day, `I feel always sorry to have afflicted burdens to the people because of the problems of my sons and relatives,` and added, `I once again emphasize the institutional framework is very important as I personally experienced this time and felt something should be done.`

The remark of the president Kim on this occasion is meant to order an institutional improvement measure of the families and relatives managing system and to admit some problems exist in the system implemented until now. The apology of the day is the fifth apologies concerning the sons` scandals following the indirect apology through senior presidential press secretary Park Sun-Suk on April 26, a public announcement to the people on May 6, an apology during a cabinet meeting on Mary 7, and an apology during a major senior officials meeting on May 10.

President Kim also said, `I have in my own way tried to clean-up the corruptions for four years of the current regime, and the close relationship of the politics and business or bureaucratic financial practices have mainly disappeared,` but pointed out, `However there are criticisms that the corruption clean-up is not working properly since still problems remain in venture sectors or other areas.`

President Kim said, `Simply not only between the civilian and the bureaucracy but also even among the civilians themselves, the corruptive relationships still remain,` and commanded, `Let us open a new era of people`s participation, in which the people participate voluntarily to cut off completely from the corruptions.`

Chol-Hi Lee klimt@donga.com