“Roh Should Appear In Court and Apologize to the Public”

The Constitutional Court, taking charge of the president impeachment case, has requested the prosecution to submit copies of documents containing the prosecution’s secret investigation and criminal investigation into the illegal fund raising activities of four close aides, including Ahn Hee-jung. The request came yesterday and was required by the impeachment commissioner for interrogation.

However, the prosecution reconfirmed its stance not to submit relevant documents, saying, “It’s not possible to submit documents on cases under trial or investigation, which is specified on the Constitutional Court’s provisions.”

What the court requested the prosecution submit are documents of interrogations into Lee Hak-soo, vice chairman of Samsung’s restructuring office, Kim In-ju, president of the Samsung restructuring office, Park Yeon-cha, chairman of Taegwang Industry, and Ahn. They allege that Ahn collected illegal funds equivalent to 3.5 billion won from Samsung and Taegwang. The court’s final proceedings, scheduled for April 30, are near at hand.

In the meantime, former senior prosecutor and current lawyer Kang Won-il, who once worked as a special prosecutor in the strike induction case of Korea Minting and Security Printing Corp., said in a letter to the conservative Internet media outlet “Web Korea” that political settlements, including a withdrawal of the impeachment, are already under away, and that President Roh should turn himself in to the court and apologize to the public without waiting for the court’s dismissal, which is the way to properly managing the politics of coexistence.

“I will not comment any more on personal opinion,” Roh’s chief attorney Moon Jae-in responded, adding “How are the politics of coexistence possible unless the opposite side take corresponding actions?”

Sang-Rok Lee myzodan@donga.com