Politicians collide on opening up audio file of 2007 summit transcript

Forces supporting the late former President Roh Moo-hyun publicly opposed to the leading party`s demand to open up the audio file of the 2007 South-North summit talks minutes.

Kim Kyung-soo, former speech secretary for Roh who is now director at the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, told the Dong-A Ilbo Tuesday, "Saenuri Party`s continuous demand to go public with the audio file is a shameless act as it wants to use it as tool for political war," adding, "What needs to be done at this time is to open up the minute draft that the prosecutors claim to have found. We can then see what has changed by comparing with the draft and the final."

On Monday last week, prosecutors said that they restored the minute drafts whose Bongha e-support copy has signs of being erased. It said the draft has meaningful difference with the final version. Kim served as the secretary for Roh`s private house in Bongha village after Roh finished term as president, and also was engaged in Bongha e-support establishment.

Kim said, "Prosecutors already announced that the final version adjusted from the draft is the same as the minutes the National Intelligence Service opened without notice. If the drafts are opened up in public, the suspicions can be clearly found out even if the audio file is not open to public. He said, "The only difference between the draft and final version is the switch of persons saying the words or corrections of grammar."

However, Kim kept silent on why the minutes were not transferred to presidential repository. He said, "I have repeatedly told prosecutors that we will cooperate in the inquiry."

At the National Assembly Intelligence Committee meeting attended by committee director Nam Jae-joon, leading and opposition parties engaged in a heated debate on whether to open the audio file to public.

The leading Saenuri Party said the file should be opened up to clarify whether the late former President Roh said he would give up Northern Limit Line. However, the main opposition Democratic Party opposed saying it would only provoke a political dispute.

Saenuri Party Rep. Cho Won-jin who is assistant administrator for Intelligence Committee said, "Listening to the audio file by constituting members based on agreement by leading and opposition parties is the fastest way to settle this matter." However, the Democratic Party Rep. and committee assistant administrator Chung Chung-rae said, "The Saenuri Party who leaked the minutes without notice and put the country in chaos want to open up state heads` conversation to disgrace the nation."

Many members of the Democratic Party are calling for pro-Roh forces including Rep Moon Jae-in to take responsibility. Rep Park Jie-won at a radio interview said, "I feel frustrated. Pro-Roh forces and the Roh foundation should put forth their stances and the Democratic United Party should take it from there."