Stories Abound in GNP Graft Scandal

The public is looking closely at who is telling the truth amid bribery scandals involving main opposition Grand National Party’s (GNP) lawmaker Park Sung-vum’s wife, who allegedly received gifts from an aspiring party nominee.

The Seoul Prosecutor’s Office unveiled a list of gifts that Ms. Jang, a relative of the late Seong Nak-hab (died in March), former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Jung-gu Office, stated in her arrest warrant was handed to Shin earlier in January.

Lawmaker Park claimed that he reported the graft to the GNP’s Clean Election and Nomination Office himself in late March, and that prosecutors seized the gifts last month.

Upon the release of the gift list, Mr. and Mrs. Park said that they had no intention to receive the presents. They went on to say that they neither opened nor used them.

The Parks also demanded a correction from the media and hinted at possible legal action against broadcasting companies that aired the list based on the arrest warrant of the briber.

They said. “Some broadcasting companies made us look like we did accept the presents, which were fictitiously claimed by Jang. They tarnished our reputation.”

Meanwhile, according to prosecutors, Jang claimed that the Parks got the expensive gifts and turned them in to the GNP as things got ugly. She said that they submitted new ones instead of the gifts actually given to and used by them.

However, prosecutors find it difficult to believe what Jang says, as it turns out that Park and Seong have not been on good terms.

The key to solving the mystery is to figure out whether the Parks opened the gifts and used them, which serves as important testimony to the Parks real intentions in the first place.

In addition, the timing is controversial. There is a three months difference between the time of receiving the gifts and the time of submitting them to the party.

On that matter, Park claimed that he turned them in some time after out of concern that his actions might have affected Seong’s nomination.

Prosecutors ordered Jang to submit receipts for the gifts to investigate the case.

The problem is that the receipts are unofficial bills in a simplified form. Moreover, those that Jang claims were “switched” are relatively cheap products that do not even have serial numbers.

Usually, pricey items have serial numbers, which are useful in finding out who bought them. Obviously, Jang’s receipts are not helpful.

Park said that Jang inflated the prices on the tags.

It is expected that the prosecutors’ decision for the period ahead will determine whether the Parks will be punished and the seriousness of the penalty.

Jin-Kyun Kil leon@donga.com