“Will Accept Summon by Taking Responsibility of 10 Billion in Funds”

Referring to the scandal of embezzling ten billion won of SK fund, former Grand National Party (GNP) leader, Lee Hoi-Chang, mentioned that there was no room to excuse the fact that GNP’s accepting of illegal money was a blunder. “I deeply apologize to all the citizens who put their expectations and hopes on me.” he said.

Ex-GNP leader Lee announced an apology toward the nation while holding a press conference yesterday. He said, “Every fault and every responsibility fell on me, and I am the one who should be put in prison if that is the case.”

This is the first time in five years after the tax scandal in November 4, 1998 that the former GNP chairman Lee made an apology to the nation regarding the presidential campaign funding issue.

As for the summon to the prosecution, Lee Hoi-chang said, “If the prosecutors request (summon), I will not dodge and will answer to it.”. However, regarding the doubts of his early recognition of SK’s slush funds entering the GNP, he refused to answer in detail by mentioning that, “Such inquiries whether I noticed the illegal fund-raising or not, or when I noticed it are not the important factors when taking the responsibility.”

With regard to the rumor around the political circle that Lee may possibly return to the politics, he affirmed, “I retired from political life as I had declared it earlier just after the presidential election last December.” He said there is no room for argument about his return to the political stage. Lee said that he originally planned to go back to the United States early November after participating in the first anniversary of his father’s death on Oct. 31 in Haehwa-dong Church, but he changed his schedule to stay in Seoul for the time being as long as the prosecution’s investigation on SK slush fund is ongoing.

“The former GNP leader Lee should disclose the fact whether he realized ten billion in won accepted by his own party in advance.” Rep. Kim Sung-soon, a spokesman of the Millennium Democratic Party said in the briefing. “If he attempts to sneak out of the suspicion, it only reveals that he has an intention to come back to the politics by making use of SK funding scandal.” Rep. Kim criticized.

Through the announcement of the head of public affairs planning Rep. Chung Dong-chae, Rep. Kim Won-ki, a joint-leader of the preparation committee for the Uri Party mentioned, “What the citizens really want is not an obscure apology but to know the reality of GNP’s fund-raising during the presidential race last year.” Meanwhile, the Blue House didn’t make any official briefing yesterday.

Yeon-Wook Jung Seung-Heon Lee jyw11@donga.com ddr@donga.com