If Interruption of Investigation Right is Repeated, Division of Powers will be Harmed

The attendants of the Cabinet meeting yesterday supported President Roh’s veto of the special investigation bill. After discussing that matter, starting at 9 a.m. for a duration of 40 minutes with the attendants, President Roh Moo-hyun read the three pieces of A4 paper of “The substance of the president’s announcement” and then decided to reconsider the special prosecutor bill.

The utterances of ministers are as follows:

Justice Minister, Kang Kum-sil: The last four special prosecutors were inevitable because the prosecution probe ended inconclusively and unsatisfactorily. There was no precedence that the case being investigated by the state prosecutors was interrupted by the assembly. If this case is accepted or repeated, the prosecutors’ investigation right will be quietly withdrawn and it is possible to harm the principles of the division of powers. Also, the targets of investigation are not clear, which the special prosecution bill can wrongfully enlarge.

Minister of Gender Equality, Chi Eun-hee: It is not appropriate to leave this kind of precedence.

Minister of Finance and Economy, Kim Jin-pyo: Prosecutors are now investigating slush funds. In this situation, if the special investigation bill is introduced, companies to be probed are overlapped. It will be a great burden to relevant companies.

Minister of Culture & Tourism, Lee Chang-dong: It is proper to reconsider the special investigation bill. This case can cause conflicts between the legislature and the administration. So how about this conditions – after finishing the prosecutors’ investigation then an introduction to the special prosecutor bill?

Minister of Health &Welfare, Kim Hwa-jung: It is better to introduce the special investigation bill after finishing the prosecutors’ investigation.

Young-Hae Choi yhchoi65@donga.com