Transition Committee under Suspicion of Evading Investigation

The process of investigating Lee Bum-Jae, 41, who was indicted for violation of the National Security Law in regard to an political incident in 1994 involving a underground political group called “Forwards for National Salvation”, is under heightened suspicion after his voluntary appearance to the National Intelligence Agency long after working as an administrative officer for the presidential transition committee.

Seoul District Public Prosecutor`s first draft of public opinion (Park Chul-Joon, Superintendent Public Prosecutor) announced on the 27th that the National Intelligence Agency is investigating Lee`s accusation, his appearance to NIA, and the details of his activities for the presidential transition committee, and that he will be detained and investigated when found guilty of his accusation.

“We were informed that Lee appeared voluntarily at National Intelligence Agency and he is now being voluntarily investigated without being prosecuted.” Police authority said.

National Intelligence Agency is investigating through Lee and Ahn Jae-Gu (76), leader of the so called Forwards for National Salvation incident, on the roles Lee played as the propaganda theorist in South Korean underground organization of the Chosun Labour Party, and plans to dispatch the case to the prosecution soon.

At the time of the incident, National Security Planning Department (present-National Intelligence Agency) found that Lee was singled out as the man to lead the student movement in Seoul and other metropolitan areas and one who received Ahn`s intense training for that purpose.

It is told that National Intelligence Agency was conducting a secret investigation into Lee`s case, before his voluntary appearance at the NIA.

Regarding this matter, a high official of the presidential transition committee said, “After the National Assembly passed the law on transition committee on the 22nd, we conducted as thorough examination on background of presidential transition committee members as for public officials, and that is how we found out about Lee`s suspension of indictment.”

But this official denied the suspicion that the National Intelligence Agency deliberately postponed the time of investigation even in the knowing of Lee`s crime in order to avoid a ripple, saying “Background check itself took time and special facts were continuously found,” the official said, “and the investigation confirmed the violation of the law, which is why we`re disclosing it now.”