Outcome of Investigation over Minister Chung’s Involvement in Appointment Request to be Released by July 5

The Presidential Chief Civil Secretariat continued its investigation for the second day on July 2 to confirm the truth of the alleged involvement of Culture and Tourism Minister Chung Dong-chae in influencing a professor appointment.

The Presidential Staff of Audit and Inspection within the Chief Civil Secretariat went on to investigate the applicant for the appointment and her husband Seo Young-seok, the president of the “pro-Roh” internet news media, “Surprise,” after the first day’s investigation on July 1 with Jung Jin-soo, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University, who made the allegation.

The Staff of Audit and Inspection will also be conducting a survey of phone calls to and from the cellular phones and the home and office phones of the accused and her husband for the last three months to see whether they had direct phone communication with Minister Chung or Vice Minister Oh, Jee-chul.

An official at the Civil Secretariat said, “Minister Chung’s involvement in requesting a favor for the appointment has not been confirmed yet.” Cheong Wa Dae is expected to make a public announcement about the outcome of the investigation around July 5.

In the mean time, President Roh Moo-hyun accepted the resignation of Vice Minister Oh who was proven to actually have made a request for a favor about the appointment.

In relation to the resignation, President Roh is expected to reshuffle his six or seven staff members at the vice-minister level. The Vice Minister of Finance and Economy, Kim Kwang-lim, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Choi Young-jin, the Head of the Office of Trade Negotiation, Hwang Doo-youn, and others are being talked about as the replacements.

Secretary Jung Chan-yong of the Presidential Chief Personnel Secretariat said, “We have not received clear instructions but it seems that members with some key cause for replacement among those who served as vice ministers since the beginning of the Participatory government will be the first to be replaced.”

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com