Prosecution and the MDP Clash Over Arrest Warrant Against Hanh Hwa-kap

The prosecution’s attempts to serve an arrest warrant on February 1 to Hahn Hwa-kap, the former chairman of the Millennium Democratic Party, were thwarted as MDP members prevented the investigator’s detectives from entering the MDP headquarters in Seoul.

The MDP held a rally in front of the headquarters on the late afternoon of February 1 to “Protest the Roh Moo-hyun Regime’s attempt at killing the MDP, political conspiracy, and government-influenced elections.” The second-largest opposition party plans to hold a rally against the Roh government in Gwangju on February 3 as the first batch in a series of rallies, further intensifying the clash.

After closing the main entrance of the headquarters, MDP officials and about 200 party members have scuffled with 20 investigators led by director Ki Won-Seok of investigation desk 2 of the special investigation department of the Seoul Prosecutors’ Office, preventing them from apprehending Hanh on four separate occasions.

“The prosecution is brandishing unprecedented probes into former chairman Hanh’s funds for the 2000 primaries, as he has resisted the regime’s appeasements and insinuations,” said MDP chairman Chough Soon-hyung in the rally, “while it does not even open a case against President Roh Moo-hyun and Uri Party leader Chung Dong-young, who also ran in the primaries.” Chough demanded that all contenders in the primaries should be investigated.

Rep. Kim Hong-il, former president Kim Dae-jung’s eldest son, who bolted from the DLP on January 20, declared his return to the party by stating, “I will be at the root of resolving the most grave crisis that the party has faced since its foundation.“ The MDP has launched a Fact-finding Committee Against the Oppression of the MDP and Biased Public Probes, headed by Rep. Kim Sang-hyun.

If Hanh does not turn himself in to the government, the prosecution will, with a renewed arrest warrant against him, file a motion with the National Assembly to seek an endorsement for Hahn’s arrest as a new assembly session starts on February 2.

The prosecution is considering criminally charging the MDP officials and members who blocked the execution of the arrest warrant with obstruction of justice.

Meanwhile, Uri chairman Chung, commenting on the proposal for National Assembly hearings on electoral slush funds, said on January 31, “A hearing is possible if Lee Hoi-chang, the former Grand National Party leader, and his lawyer Seo Jeong-woo will testify as witnesses.”