GNP Intensifies Offensive Against Roh

The ruling Grand National Party stepped up its offensive against former President Roh Moo-hyun over the alleged data leaking Thursday, defining it as “indisputably illegal act.” The GNP said whether the leaked data is genuine or copied is not important.

GNP Secretary-General Kwon Yeong-se told a radio program, “Just as (former President Chun Doo-hwan) played a role of an abdicated king by setting up Ilhae Foundation, former President Roh seems to do the same thing in cyberspace.”

“He is not allowed to keep the data. Whether it is original or copied is not the main issue here,” he said. “The problem is that he took the data out of Cheong Wa Dae and some of the data is classified records,” he added. On the GNP’s move to request law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter, Kwon said, “The state-run National Archives will first probe the issue. When the probe reveals what data Roh had taken, the prosecution will be involved.”

leon@donga.com