Rival Parties Raising the Stakes in Their Dog fight over the Eavesdropping Allegation

The Grand National Party which has made public the document twice related to wiretappings by the National Intelligence Service is taking pains to map out strategies for whether to release additional document related to wiretappings.

Releasing the document, the GNP insisted, “The issue surrounding wiretappings matters because at stake is the nation`s freedom and democracy. And the party has no intention to take advantage of the wiretapping case to win the upcoming election. And also, the issue is not politically motivated.”

However, an explanation is gaining ground that using the wiretapping allegation as a political maneuvering, the GNP`s move is aimed to curb the upsurge of Roh`s popularity after he defeated his rival in the race for the unified candidate between the Millennium Democratic Party and the National Alliance 21. In addition, with the GNP failing to provide the exact source of the document, citing the safety of the informant as a reason, some critics say that the GNP`s disclosure of the wiretapping-related document is politically motivated and it has showed no true intention to exterminate the illegal practice.

The GNP has refused to identify the informant and explain how to obtain the document under the pretext of the protection of a whistle blower. However, the opposition party said that only when the prosecutors begin an investigation into the case in earnest, it would provide all the information related to the wiretappings, including the identification of the informant.

It has been known that the GNP had taken a lot of pains to maximize the chances of gaining the upper hand in the current political atmosphere nearing to the presidential election, while avoiding public criticisms against the party. That is why the GNP`s top officials had held a series of meetings to decide whether to disclose the document before the party pushed forward the first disclosure of the wiretapping-related document.

A GNP`s top official suggested that it has obtained a great volume of wiretapping transcripts by saying, “We have obtained about a million pages of wiretapping transcripts which include the wiretapping conducted in October.”

The GNP had suggested the possibility of additional document disclosure while releasing previous wiretapping transcripts. A top official at the GNP said, “There will be a third document disclosure soon or later. However, the party officials are divided over when and how to release additional document.”

And another official at the GNP said, “It is now giving some time for the President and the intelligence agency before admitting their mistakes and offering a public apology for the wiretappings.” He also added, “That is why the GNP didn`t make public some critical document related to the government`s fatal mistakes in domestic affaires including its policy toward the North.”

Inside the opposition party, speculation is mounting over the third disclosure, noting that the third disclosure might provide a proof of the connection between MDP`s presidential candidate Roh Moo-hyun and Chung Wa Dae. The speculation is gaining ground in that the first mainly centered on the wiretappings aimed at boosting Roh`s popularity during the MDP`s primaries, raising unfairness of the primaries. And the second intensely showed immorality of Chung Wa Dae and MDP`s important figures. Therefore, it is obvious that the remaining might center on a proof of the connection between them.

In conclusion, the GNP seems to calculate that through disclosing the third document, it will justify its insistence on the “punishment for the corrupt government” by providing the public with a negative image of rival candidate, Roh Moo-hyun that he represents the corrupt government.

Min-Hyuk Park mhpark@donga.com