[Editorial] Candidate Roh Clarifies the Double-Bookkeeping

Questions have been raised concerning candidate Roh Moo-hyun’s poll funds, saying it was specially managed and the double-bookkeeping, which contains the details, does exist. It is not the common unconfirmed secret information or opinion of the politics. It is the utterance of the Millennium Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Geong-jae, who took charge of candidate Roh’s head of the Public Information Office. If Kang’s utterance is true, then Roh’s side has indeed reported poll funds falsely to the National Election Commission. If the reliable men for accounting are sentenced to imprisonment with this scandal, President Roh’s election might be invalidated.

Open Woori party lawmaker Lee Sang-soo, who was candidate Roh’s chief of general affairs at that time, denied the existence of the double- bookkeeping but admitted the fact that there were selected responsible men at each enterprise that had collected money. They did the very same thing as what the Grand National party did – Lee stressed that the collected money was used for the formal campaign donation money and has made out a receipt. What he wants to say is that Choi Don-woong did a scandal – he did not make out a receipt- and their cases are quite dissimilar in character.

However, candidate Roh insisted that he won the election by receiving help from piggy banks under the slogan of clean politics. The nation is feeling betrayal and wrath towards Roh. Who on earth can speak ill of others in this situation?

The prosecutor has to thoroughly investigate and clarify the suspicion on the double-bookkeeping and accounting absurdity. In guessing how many faults are in the accounting procedure, an executive who is in charge of audit said, “I have looked at what no human should see.” It was a really nice response to the prosecutor request for related information on the MDP and proclaiming its will for an impartial investigation. The case must not be dodged just because he is president or because it is the ruling party. They have to bear in mind that if they dodge it, then the Independent Counsel will be operated.

The politics also has to be circumspect about its behavior that could interfere with the prosecutor’s investigation. Nowadays, politics is a subtle shifting from yesterday’s friend to today’s enemy. Do not compromise same stance party or groping for political solution watching this gap. It must not be dropped, just needs to spend time to negotiate with the Independent Counsel. Keep in mind that if the situation grows worse, then the ruling and the opposition party will be ruined.