GNP Suspected of Raising 20 Billion Won in Political Fund.

The Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) and the Grand National Party (GNP) confronted each other over several allegations at the parliamentary interpellation session on social and cultural sectors.

The MDP maintained that GNP presidential candidate Lee Hoi chang pressured the military authorities to exempt his two sons from military service, and the GNP argued that The US exercised undue pressure on the government regarding a proposed drug pricing system.

▽Suspicion over the Baekgung and Jeongja district

Regarding the `Baekgung and Jeongja gate`, Rep. Park Jong-hee of the GNP said that a real estate mutual fund company led by confidants of President Kim Dae-jung has been entrusted with the Park View apartment project, which is worth 900 billion won. There is an allegation that the project was designed to raise political fund of the incumbent administration."

Rep. Park also said that the construction industry estimated that more than 20 billion won in political fund would be raised, urging the MDP to reveal how unaccounted money worth 10 billion won was spent.

MDP officials, who were allegedly involved in the scandal, said that they have already made an explanation several times before, adding, "Park`s allegation deserves no further response."

▽Allegation over a draft scandal involving sons of Lee Hoi-chang

Rep. Shin Ki-nam of the MDP took issue with the alleged evasion of the GNP standard bearer`s sons and released a document prepared by the GNP as evidence.

Shin said, "According to the document the GNP made for prosecutors, Lee Hoi-sung, brother of Lee Hoi-chang met Chun Tae-jun, then-commanding officer of the army’s medical headquarters in rooms 1510 and 1512 of the Lotte Hotel.

Shin also said, "There is an allegation that the meeting aimed at exempting Lee`s eldest son from military service was attended by Lee`s confidants, an official of the Military Manpower Administration (MMA), Hoi-sung and Lee`s son-in-law. A Chungwadae official blocked an MMA audit team to investigate the draft scandal involving Lee`s son."

In response, Nam Gyeong-pil, GNP spokesman, said, "The document disclosed by Rep. Shin is not an official document of the GNP but a document that sums up the record of the lawsuit on the `Sepung` scandal.

▽The allegation over the US pressure regarding drug pricing system

Rep Kim Hong-shin of the GNP said, "Regarding a proposed drug-pricing system, the US exercised undue pressure on Korea six times from May last year. Former Health minister Lee Tae-bok, who defied the US pressure, was dismissed. As the President has been reported on this matter, the government should carry out a parliamentary investigation to reveal the truth."

Meanwhile, the GNP got infuriated by an MDP document claiming the inability of Lee Hoi-chang as president reported in Naeil Daily, causing a delay of the parliamentary interpellation.