Controversy Intensifies Over Roh`s Election Funds Spending

President Roh ran for a parliamentary seat allocated for a Busan district on the ruling Millennium Democratic Party’s ticket during the 2000 general election but lost the race to his opponent, he reported to the nation`s election watchdog that for 5 months, beginning from the same year, he spent 300 million won for the party`s working expenses. On top of that, he spent a total of 400 million won for the general elections, including 90 million won, the total expense that he reported he had spent during the official campaign period in the 2000 parliamentary elections.

However, officials at the opposing Grand National Party say, “Given the fact that in 2001, President Roh said when he met with reporters that “I spent money with nothing to regret during the parliamentary elections”, he may have spent more money for the elections than he actually reported.” A two-term lawmaker from the MDP is echoing the opposition party’s claim by saying, “The Roh`s camp might have received campaign funds from the MDP which Mr. Roh may have not known about. Therefore, it is possible that the Roh`s camp might have used money that Kwon Roh-kap had collected from outside sources for the elections.”

Meanwhile, a close aide to the president explained what the president had meant by saying; “He meant that he spent more money than he used to spend for previous elections, suggesting he spent as much as money that election laws allow candidates to spend for campaign periods.”

However, a MDP lawmaker from the Honam district refuted the explanation, “It is difficult to take what Cheong Wa Dae said at face value. On any appropriate occasion, the president should “confess” the details of his campaign funds spending for the sake of political funds reform. However, his confession will embarrass the political circle as a whole.”