Assembly approves inquiry into frontrunner

The National Assembly yesterday passed a bill calling for an independent investigation into presidential frontrunner Lee Myung-bak just two days before the election.

Lee`s Grand National Party boycotted the vote. But it did not try to block rival lawmakers from casting their ballots after Lee said on Sunday that he will accept the special probe since he has done nothing wrong.

The new inquiry, which will begin in January, focuses on his role in a 2001 financial scam involving his former business partner. It also targets the state prosecutors who cleared him of any charges on Dec. 5 after a one-month probe.

President Roh Moo-hyun said he will endorse the investigation.

Of the 299 parliamentary members, 160 from the United New Democratic Party, the Democratic Labor Party and the Democratic Party took part in the vote. They unanimously approved the bill introduced by the UNDP.

The approval came one day after the UNDP disclosed video footage recorded in 2000, in which Lee publicly states that he founded the financial company at the center of the scandal, BBK. So far, he has flatly denied his links with the now defunct BBK, run by Kim Kyung-joon.

The fresh controversy is complicating the presidential campaign as it heads into the homestretch. The national vote takes place tomorrow.

Observers expect minimal fallout for the frontrunner, as more voters are stressing what they perceive to be his ability to revive the economy, instead of his disputed ethical standards, especially since prosecutors have already cleared him of involvement in the case.

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Some have suggested that liberal candidates may be hurt by this Assembly decision, as it could effectively unite the conservative vote which is currently split between Lee and the former party boss, Lee Hoi-chang.

But the probe is expected to intensify partisan struggle beyond the election, as political forces will jockey for position ahead of April`s parliamentary elections.

The bill stipulates Lee face a probe into whether he was involved in Kim Kyung-joon`s alleged stock-manipulation and embezzlement, and whether he concealed his assets in violation of laws on civil servants` ethics and elections. It will also look into whether the prosecutors whitewashed their probe into Kim.

It will take up to 32 days from the parliamentary approval before the special investigation begins. The investigation is expected to be concluded before Feb. 25 when a new president takes office.

The GNP standard-bearer appealed to voters to support him in fighting what he called a political conspiracy. "I will face everything squarely, whether it be an independent probe or reinvestigation. I have nothing to hide," he told supporters during a campaign rally in Suwon.

The GNP condemned the UNDP-led bill for being put forward to damage Lee`s chances of winning the Dec. 19 election.

"The bill is politically biased, inappropriate and has been drawn up haphazardly," GNP spokesman Park Hyung-jun told The Korea Herald.

The GNP demanded National Assembly Speaker Lim Chae-jung resign. He used his right to set up a vote on the bill, bypassing Assembly committees.

The UNDP proposal requires that the special prosecutor be recommended by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and the investigation is mandated to last 30 days, but can be extended for 10 days.

According to the bill, the special-inquiry team is to be comprised of five special assistant prosecutors, 10 dispatched prosecutors, 40 special investigators and 50 civil servants. The bill also requires the first, second and third trials be concluded within 45 days each.

The first-stage investigation of 30 days could kick off in mid January, allowing the independent counsel to render an interim report by at least Feb. 17, about eight days ahead of the new president`s inauguration.

Even if he wins the election, the independent investigator can summon and prosecute him if he is found guilty on any charges, legal experts say.

By law, an incumbent president cannot face prosecution unless he or she commits crimes that threaten national security. But there is no such protection for a president-elect.

The GNP, however, said that the UNDP-led bill is replete with loopholes, and that it is "hastily-made and politically motivated" to affect the impending presidential election and the parliamentary election in April of next year.

The GNP had its own bill ready to investigate the BBK case. They had planned to propose a separate bill which differs from the UNDP bill on the subjects to be examined, the investigation period, and the number of staffers. The GNP`s proposal was to exclude the probe into charges of violations of civil-servants election laws.

"The special prosecutor is originally designed to look into the aspects that were not thoroughly investigated by ordinary prosecutors. It does not mean they (the UNDP) can propose a bill that disregards general law and legitimate procedures," said GNP Chairman Kang Jae-sup.



By Song Sang-ho



(sshluck@heraldm.com)