Roh Reacts to Samsung Probe Bill

President Roh Moo-hyun said, “I didn’t take any gift money from Samsung,” yesterday in regards to the fact that a probe into suspicions on the ‘congratulatory money’ given to him after the 2002 presidential election has been included in the Bill on the Appointment of Special Prosecutors Concerning the Alleged Samsung Slush Fund (the special investigation bill) which passed the National Assembly on November 23.

“I thought I’d be able to spend the final days of my term in comfort, but a number of noisy things have occurred,” said Roh while giving a congratulatory address at the Ceremony for the Completion of Dae-bi-ro-jeon at Hae-in Temple, held in Hae-in Temple, Habcheok, Gyeongnam on November 24. “The policy advisor got in trouble, one of the secretaries also got into trouble, and now come slush fund allegations. It is very sad to be suspected. It’s very shameful personally and very sad on a national level as well. Whether the special investigation unit is adopted or not, the truth will come out. South Korea is no longer a nation where the truth can be concealed by any means,” he said.

President Roh also said, “I’m unable to cover anything up, and no one has the power to do so. In the past, those with power could conceal facts and move on, but nowadays it takes luck, not power, to be able to hide them. It’s a different world now.”

On November 25 a Cheong Wa Dae official, mentioning President Roh’s words, said, “His words were comments on principles, meaning that the truth will be disclosed, and are irrelevant to whether he will accept the special investigation bill or not. Please take it as it is.”

On the same day, the spokesperson of Grand National Party (GNP) Na Gyeong-won, said, “Petty excuses won tell us much; the results of prosecutors’ investigation will tell us everything. The president’s job is to accept the special investigation bill, and if he decides to veto the bill the explanation that he never took any congratulatory money will only function as the multiplier of suspicions. For every investigation by prosecution that involved one of his close figures, President Roh has distorted the investigation. People are not only suspicious about the presidential election fund in 2002 but the results of probe into numerous other corruption cases,” she added.

Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae will announce its official opinion on issues, including whether to exercise a presidential veto or not within this week as soon as it receives the special investigation bill from the National Assembly.

“We expect the special investigation bill to be passed on to the government on November 26. Cheong Wa Dae will give its official opinion within the week,” said a Cheong Wa Dae official.

“There has been no change in the judgment that the special investigation bill transgresses standing principles, but [Cheong Wa Dae] will take into consideration various factors, such as public opinion and the situation in the National Assembly, to decide whether to veto the bill or not,” he added.

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