Pres. Lee snubs official event amid older brother`s arrest

President Lee Myung-bak canceled his planned attendance at a ceremony to mark Population Day on Wednesday after his elder brother Lee Sang-deuk was arrested the previous night on bribery charges.

This was the first time for President Lee to snub an official event for a reason other than a crisis situation.

Lee Jong-hyun, head of the presidential office`s Chunchu Hall, said the decision was made Tuesday evening (before the elder Lee was arrested) because President Lee had no crucial message to deliver and was also unprepared for a meeting for Population Day. Nevertheless, the prevailing view is that the chief executive canceled his attendance despite keen interest in population due to the shock of his brother`s arrest.

President Lee is known to have spent the rest of the day at his office consulting his aides on whether to deliver a public apology. Most of his aides reportedly favored making the apology though they were undecided on how. Some say their opinions should be delivered to President Lee.

Opposition parties and even certain members of the ruling Saenuri Party also said President Lee should make an apology.

Lee Han-koo, floor leader of the ruling party, said in a radio interview, "President Lee might be considering offering words of comfort to the public," stressing that he should apologize.

On if the "words of comfort" meant an apology, the floor leader said, "Of course. It could mean that."

The question is when and how President Lee will apologize. The dominant view is that it is premature to offer an apology because his brother has not been indicted yet.

A key official told The Dong-A Ilbo, "If President Lee talks about his brother, he could be misunderstood as hinting at an investigation guideline to prosecutors."

If President Lee decides to apologize, he is more likely to do so only after his brother is put on trial.

ddr@donga.com