Ex-President’s Lawmaker Son Dismissed

Kim Hong-il, the 58-year-old eldest son of the former president Kim Dae-jung (proportional representation), was dismissed from his position as a lawmaker after the Supreme Court suspended a sentence on him.

Supreme Court (with Chief justice Jeon Su-an) sentenced Kim to 2 years of jail with a stay of execution for 3 years and a fine of 150 million won for taking 150 million won in bribes (called an influence peddling according to the Additional Punishment Law on Specific Crimes) from former Nara Banking Corporation President Ahn Sang-tae in exchange for asking him for a position.

“President Ahn’s statement to have given money to Rep. Kim is reliable,” according to the judgment.

Kim was disqualified as a lawmaker for violating both provisions of public election law and the National Assembly law. The former provision states that any jail sentences due to criminal cases other than the violation of election law will disqualify its member from being elected and the latter states that the one without the eligibility of being elected should resign.

Former Deputy Minister of Labor Kim Song-Ja, who comes around as the next turn of proportional representation candidacy will automatically succeed Kim as the next Lawmaker thus causing no change in the Parliament seats of each party.

Kim was booked without physical detention in June 2003 for receiving money from former President Ahn in October 1999, assuring his nomination as the head of a financial organization run by the government.

The Democratic Party commented, “While we respect the Supreme Court’s decision, it is still regrettable that there was no proof of evidence of the specific details of the job asking by the prosecutors and that there were no testimonies by crucial witnesses during the trial.”

jefflee@donga.com