Chief Secretary`s Article posted on the Prosecutor`s Intranet

Following the article that criticized President Roh Moo-hyun for his statement on August 27 in Gwangyang, on the issue of “checking the prosecution,” written by Lee Bum-gwan, head of Gwnagju High Court of Justice, Moon Jae-in, Chief Secretary of the Blue House, posted his own article on September 8, on the internal communication network of the prosecution.

It is very unusual for a Chief Secretary of the Blue House to post an article on the intranet, to which only prosecutors can access.

Ministry of Justice explained that, “since Moon faxed his article, saying that he `wanted the prosecution to clearly understand the President`s message,` with the approval from the Minister, we posted Moon`s article on the intranet, under the name of Choi Jae-kyung, who is responsible for communication with the Chief`s Office.”

Moon claimed in his article that, “President Roh never said anything about the former President`s son being investigated by the prosecution for no particular reason (in Gwangyang on August 27), and he did not mean anything to criticize the prosecution.”

He cited the President`s statement in detail, saying that, “what the President actually meant was that former President Kim Young-sam`s son had been investigated upon by the prosecution while Kim was in office, and former President Kim Dae-jung`s son was also investigated, also while Kim was in office, for charges that seem trivial compared to the events that are occurring these days.”

He also added that, “this statement proves that the President has clear understanding of the reality, where Presidents cannot even stop their sons` prosecution, and of the current situation, where should the President try to dominate the prosecution due to his desire for power, the anger will get back at the President.”

Previously, Lee Bum-gwan had written on the prosecutors` intranet, regarding President Roh`s statement in Gwangyang, that he “cannot understand what the President meant by saying that former President`s son was investigated for trivial reasons,” which raised much commotion. Meanwhile, although restraining themselves from expressing their thoughts, public prosecutors commented that such incidents could occur, but that they wished that both parties would control themselves.

Tae-Hoon Lee jefflee@donga.com