[Editorial] Kim Chun-ho Should Disclose The Truth

Kim Chun-ho, the president of Gana Trading Company, who is a key figure to dispel suspicions surrounding Kim’s murder, returned to Korea. It is natural that he catches the eyes and ears of the nation which has grieved the victimization of an innocent life.

There are many issues Gana president Kim has to answer: He visited the Korean embassy in Iraq four times since Kim Sun-il was kidnapped, but why didn’t he inform the embassy about the kidnapping?; How did he begin to negotiate with the terrorist group to release Kim, and what was the detailed content of the negotiations? He altered his statements several times regarding when Kim was kidnapped. This should also be explained. After finding out the truth, we should examine if there was any chance that Kim could have been saved.

It is also important to find out if the U.S. military knew in advance of the kidnapping. Gana president Kim originally said, “I was informed (of the kidnapping) by the U.S. Army.” Then, he changed his statement later. He should disclose the truth clearly, since this is an important matter that could influence the Korean-American relationship. If there was a problem in channels for the exchange of information between Korea and America, it should be fixed through Gana president Kim’s statement.

President Kim should provide positive cooperation to the Board of Inspection and Audit and parliament in the investigation of Kim’s murder. It is a minimum duty he should carry out for a deceased employee of his company. His honest statement is essential to prevent others from becoming similar victims in the future. Gana president Kim himself needs to be protected by our country while he is staying abroad, doesn’t he?

I hope that the BAI does its best in investing this incident since it is in the nationwide interest. The purpose of this investigation is to look closely into the suspicions surrounding Kim’s murder at the minimum. However, in essence, it is to review the diplomacy system for national security and the counter-terrorism system if they functioned efficiently in the case of Kim’s murder. The nation has the right to know what was wrong and from where it went wrong.