Anguish Over Revealing the Truth of Ann-wind

Amid allegations in the “Ann-wind case” that the budget for Agency for National Security Planning (NSP, currently known as the National Intelligence Service, or NIS) illegally provided an election fund, Kang Sam-jae, congressman of Hannara-party, said on January 16 that “I am seriously deliberating whether to reveal the truth or not.”

At the trial held this afternoon by the 7th criminal department of the Seoul High Court (Judge Noh Young-bo presiding), Kang declared that “I am seriously deliberating whether to reveal the truth or go to jail with my lips firmly sealed.”

He requested the judicial department to give him some time until next trial.

Accordingly, an application for the previous president, Kim Young-sam, to appear as a witness, that had been the talk of the country, did not happen.

Through his cross-examination by counsel, Kang repeatedly maintained his position, saying that “even though I admit appropriating money for the election, the money was not the budget for NSP; it was a pure political fund.”

“In an interview with the press, Umm Sam-tak, previous NSP head, said that it would be impossible to embezzle the budget for the NSP,” a defense lawyer said. “In the name of common sense, it is impossible for the budget for the NSP, approximately 10,000 billion won, to be gone.”

However, according to the testimony of Kim, the previous NSP expenditure official, he withdrew 11,970 billion won under the name of policy activity expenses from the account of the NSP and delivered the funds to Kang at the direction of the head of the NSP.

“When I was appointed NSP official for expenditure in 1995, I received approximately 5,000 billion won, including the budget left and additional interest, and delivered it to Kang,” said Kim.

Regarding recent press reports on the other hand, the judicial department announced that “the judicial department will be not influenced by press reports. The parties to the suit should keep restraining themselves from speaking to the press in mind.”

The next trial will be held at 2 p.m. on February 6.

Soo-Kyung Kim Jin-Kyun Kil skkim@donga.com leon@donga.com