Whistleblower in ruling party scandal talks to prosecutors

A ruling party lawmaker who blew the whistle on alleged bribery by candidates for his party`s top post in 2008 was questioned by prosecutors Sunday.

Rep. Ko Sung-doug of the ruling Grand National Party, who brought up suspicion over distribution of envelopes with cash gifts to party members ahead of a party convention, appeared at the Seoul Central Prosecutors` Office for questioning.

Asked by a reporter if Ko will tell the "specific truth" on the scandal, the lawmaker said, "I rejected an envelope with money at a party convention (in 2008 or 2010),” adding, “I will tell the whole truth to prosecutors.” Ko, however, stopped short of naming which candidate offered him the envelope.

In a talk show Tuesday aired on the cable station Channel A, he described an “incident about distribution of envelopes with money at a party convention.” He effectively pointed the finger at the election camp of Park Hee-tae, incumbent speaker of the National Assembly who was elected party chairman in 2008, or that of Rep. Ahn Sang-soo, who was elected chairman in 2010.

"I didn`t want someone to be named or intend the incident to develop into a criminal case. I feel perplexed over the current situation," Ko said, but added, "But I will faithfully testify in the prosecutorial probe to clarify any suspicions and get to the bottom of it." On if he has evidence to back up his claims, he said, “I`ll tell details to prosecutors."

Asked why he decided to blow the whistle on the incident several years after the fact, Ko said, “I thought the Grand National Party will have no chance to revive if it holds another party convention despite failing to resolve the practice of `divide and conquer` between factions and financial irregularities ahead of the end of the 18th National Assembly."

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