Justice Minister Chung Likely to Oppose BBK Special Probe Bill

Justice Minister Chung Soung-jin reportedly will express a negative opinion about the BBK special investigation bill recently passed in the National Assembly by lawmakers from the United New Democratic Party (UNDP) and the Democratic Labor Party at a cabinet council meeting scheduled for December 26.

As for the BBK bill, Chung will purportedly point out that the bill is unconstitutional with respect to the limit on court days, and he will also likely deny Kim Kyung-joon’s memo which says that prosecutors coerced him.

On December 17, instead of exercising his right to direct prosecutors to reinvestigate, he approved the bill and pointed out, “The bill itself contains some problems in regard to the spirit of constitutionality, efficacy and cost.

Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Cheon Ho-seon said on December 23, “The BBK bill will be passed at the cabinet council meeting as scheduled for December 26.” Thus it remains uncertain whether President Roh Moo-hyun will accept Chung’s opinion.

Meanwhile former GNP head Lee Hoi-chang held a press conference in Jung-gu, Seoul and said, “Considering that 60 percent of the public does not believe the BBK investigation outcome, president elect Lee Myung-bak needs to clarify this with honesty,” and added, “However, from my personal view, it is undesirable that the investigation by an independent counsel causes confusion for Lee after his election. I hope that the political circle will resolve this in a wise way.”

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