Prosecution: “We Investigated All the Facts Just as They Are”

The prosecution responded to the Cheong Wa-dae’s claim that the investigation of close aides to President Roh Moo-hyun had been manipulated to forcefully demonstrate the balance of the investigation, saying, “We just have investigated the facts as they are and have no specific intentions.”

Ahn Dae-hee, head of the Department of Central Investigation at the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office, opposed every claim raised by the Cheong Wa-dae in a press conference on December 30 and said, “We investigated objective facts such as the testimony of related personnel.”

Ahn first pointed out the Cheong Wa-dae’s claim that President Roh did not order Choi Do-sool, former secretary of general affairs to the president, to utilize the leftover money from the local elections saying, “Mr. Choi has testified that he got the order from President Roh to use 250 million won of the leftover money from the local elections.”

In addition, he said regarding the 30 million won received by Yoe Taek-su, an official of the first delegation to the president from the Sun & Moon Group, “The official denies that the President was with him when the money was handed to the official from Sun & Moon, but other officials at the scene all confirmed the fact.”

A related official in the investigation team explained, “There are enough reasons for the controversy, but Mr. Kang Geum-won did not eventually buy the Yong-in property and has paid back the 1.9 billion won debt of Jangsoochun with loans that were free of interest, which clearly shows that someone has profited in this,” regarding the remark made by Moon Jae-in, chief secretary of civil affairs to the president, insisting that the transaction of Yong-in property under the name of Lee Ki-myeong, who had been a chairman of the president’s sponsor group, was not forged.

Another official said, “I question whether there is a strategic intention to shake the prosecution’s investigation,” showing his or her discontent upon hearing the remark of Lee Byung-wan, chief secretary of public relations to the president, saying, “I can’t help but feel like I’m adjusted to the ‘Procrustean Bed.’”

Wi-Yong Jung viyonz@donga.com