Prosecutors to Launch Investigation into “X-File”; Opposition Parties Call for Independent Investigation

In response to a civic group, the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy’s complaint against those implicated in the so called “X-File,” an audiotape illegally recorded by the National Security Planning Agency (NSPA), the precursor of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Public Security Department II (head prosecutor: Seo Chang-hi) of the Seoul Central District Public Prosecutors’ Office (SCDPPO) launched an investigation into the incident by order of the prosecution on July 26.

An official of the prosecution said, “Taking into consideration that this scandal originated from illegal eavesdropping by the NSPA and the contents related to the 1997 presidential election were included, we thought that it would be appropriate for the public security department to probe into the case.”

The SCDPPO appointed prosecutor Kim Byeong-hyeon from Public Security Department II as the chief prosecutor and ordered all four prosecutors belonging to the department to take part in the investigation.

If the Samsung Group lodges a complaint against the media that broadcasted the contents of the illegally wiretapped tape on a charge of violating the Communications Secrecy Protection Act, the prosecution is also planning to arrange the case to be probed by the same department.

Regarding the allegations that former and incumbent high-ranking prosecutors received “kickbacks” from Samsung Group, Prosecutor General Kim Jong-bin said, “The statute of limitations expired, and it is not proper to commence an investigation into a scandal predicated on an illegally bugged tape.”

The three opposition parties, including the Grand National Party, Democratic Labor Party, and Millennium Democratic Party, urged the government to get to the bottom of this scandal by appointing an independent counsel.

Meanwhile, on the morning of the same day, a Korean resident in America identified by his surname, Park (58), who planned to leave the country with two MBC reporters via Incheon International Airport, failed to depart from the country as authorities prohibited him from leaving the country.

Park, who has American citizenship, was reportedly banned from leaving the country on July 25 on a charge of being implicated in the process of leaking the illegally wiretapped tape.

After Park’s plan to leave the country was thwarted, the two reporters who accompanied Park reportedly gave up leaving the country and went back.

woogija@donga.com