Who Brought Kim to Korea?

With the presidential election just 12 days away, former BBK president Kim Gyeong-jun’s comeback to Korea has become a hot political issue. The Prosecution’s investigation into the BBK scandal has brought to light his lies and his forgeries of contracts. Now politicians are quarreling over the reasons for his return. Many think that the reason Kim returned to Korea, even though he knew that he would face additional charges of libel and other crimes if prosecutors started an investigation, is that forces that prompted him to come back to Korea.

Now that Grand National Party presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak has been vindicated of all BBK allegations, the GNP has declared war against political maneuvering and vowed to get to the bottom of the background of Kim’s return.

In a leadership meeting on December 6, GNP whip Ahn Sang-soo said, “We will initiate a nationwide anti-political campaign and take legal steps to rid Korean politics of those who engage in negative political propaganda. We will go after those who tried to take advantage of Kim and bring them to justice.”

The main opposition party thinks Kim’s extradition to Korea, Kim’s sister Erica Kim’s media interview, and Kim’s mother’s return to Korea were all carefully choreographed.

One GNP official said, “I think there must have been some kind of negotiation between Kim and the United New Democratic Party (UNDP) since Kim, who knew he would be severely punished should he come back to Korea, suddenly and willingly came back to Korea.”

GNP lawmaker Jin Soo-hee maintained, “It is an open secret in the political circle that UDNP candidate Chung Dong-young’s closest aide went to Los Angeles and met Kim last summer.”

GNP spokesperson Park Hyeong-jun said, “We don’t think Kim and his family returned to Korea of their own volition. There must have been political influence involved. And we have secured some information and evidence regarding this.”

In the political circle, rumors have it that a figure from the UNDP stayed in the U.S. this past September and contacted Kim’s father to offer a pardon if Kim came back to Korea.”

It is said that prosecutors looked into the process of Kim’s return to Korea but did not keep a record of their findings for fear of political controversy.

In a press conference held at the headquarters of the UNDP in Seoul Thursday, Chung Dong-young claimed, “We are under the strong impression that there is a conspiracy behind this insincere investigation. From now on, we aim to get to the bottom of the issue. And the truth will soon emerge for everyone to see.”

Chung’s spokesperson dismissed the GNP’s allegations by saying, “That’s so characteristic of the GNP, which is very good at conspiracy theories. Stop imagining and tell us the truth.”

taylor55@donga.com mindy@donga.com