[Editorial] Is Hong-Up Scandal Buried in the World Cup Finals ?

The prosecution`s decision to delay the investigation and prosecution on President Kim Dae-Jung`s second son Hong-Up until after the World Cup finals is enough to have a suspicion raised that the prosecution is holding up the investigation citing the international event.

The World Cup finals and the investigation over graft scandals of the president`s sons are separate matters. Even though the investigation on Hung-Up is continued, the enthusiasm over the World Cup finals will not be damped, nor the proceedings of the games are in any way shaken up. If the prosecution is trying to endow favorite treatment to the president`s sons, wrapped up in graft scandals, under a buoyed spirit of party atmosphere, the public opinion will not accept it.

The investigation on the third son Hong-Up of President Kim has speedily proceeded since the specific circumstances are exposed through the testimonies of the associates. But, the investigation on Hon-Up is stagnated even though the case has passed two months ago to the prosecution form the special counselor, as it is clear, even though the scale of money laundering is exposed, the characters of the fund is still in the mist.

The Blue House and some part of the prosecution have opinionated some favoritism asking why two sons should be arrested simultaneously. Of curse, it is a sorrowful scene to see that the two sons take the blunt of criminal punishment, but the principle of the rule of law should not be broken depending on who is the object of the criminal investigation. If Hong-Up gained properties by violating laws, it is needless to say that law should punish him, and even the incumbent president son is not the exception.

Investigation on the chief prosecutor of the Kwangju High Publicc Prosecutor`s Office Km Dae-Woong, who was allegedly leaked an investigation secret to former standing executive of the Asia-Pacific Foundation Lee Soo-Dong, is going nowhere after a summoning by the prosecution. Even though the prosecution`s decision to delay a summoning of Ulsan mayor Shim Wan-Gu may have a reason since he is a chief of the regional government that hosts the World Cup finals, investigation on chief prosecutor Kim has been dragged out without any clear reason, which raise a question whether this is a favoritism endowed on family affairs. It is not desirable that people have the impression of the prosecution being on a shaky ground.

Not only the rash trying to end the investigation before the World Cup finals is a problem, but also procrastinating the investigation on the case people`s interest is intense has little persuasive power.