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Two sides clash over president’s rejection of counsel nominees
Rival parties on Thursday clashed after President Lee Myung-bak’s office rejected both opposition-named independent counsel candidates to probe a scandal over his retirement home plan.
The main opposition Democratic United Party sharply criticized Lee as it seeks to make the probe a key campaign issue for the Dec. 19 presidential election, while the ruling Saenuri Party strived to contain negative fallout on its candidate.
Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday turned down the two candidates recommended by the DUP, citing a lack of inter-party consensus over what should be a “politically neutral” procedure. It requested re-nomination through bipartisan consultation.
The DUP warned that Lee could contravene the special probe law should he not appoint one of the lawyers by Friday ― within the five days of its recommendation as stipulated in the law. Independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo’s camp also pressured Lee to “follow the decision by the National Assembly.”
Lee and the ruling Saenuri Party appeared uneasy over the DUP-picked candidates as the two ― lawyers Kim Hyeong-tae and Lee Gwang-beom ― are known for their progressive views.
The DUP and the Saenuri Party agreed in June to push for independent counsel legislation, after tough negotiations over parliamentary committee chairmanships and other issues to open the new National Assembly.
Passed last month, the law states that the DUP is to recommend two candidates, one of whom Lee is to appoint. The parties informally agreed to seek sufficient consultation before finalizing the recommendation.
The DUP argues that it had enough consultation with the ruling party, which argues consensus over the recommendation has yet to be reached and there is, therefore, a critical “procedural problem” undermining political neutrality.
“The agreement has already been reached that the DUP is to make the recommendation. To ensure neutrality and a fair investigation, we have discussed this with the Saenuri Party on a number of occasions,” DUP floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won said in a radio interview.
“Should Lee not appoint a counsel (the DUP recommended), it would be a great burden for Rep. Park Geun-hye, the presidential candidate of the Saenuri Party.”
Stressing that the recommendation should be reached based on bipartisan consensus, Saenuri floor leader Rep. Lee Hahn-koo upbraided the DUP for attempting to politically use the case ahead of the election.
“If the DUP really intends to unearth the truth behind the case rather than smearing the president, it should re-nominate the neutral candidates through smooth consultation with the Saenuri Party,” he said during the party’s Supreme Council meeting.
President Lee’s son Lee Si-hyung and six others were accused in October 2011 of using about 1 billion won ($898,000) of government funds to buy land for the retirement home in Naegok-dong in southern Seoul.
The project was later scrapped upon public criticism of the project that involved a joint purchase of the land worth 5.4 billion won by Lee’s son and the presidential office.
The prosecutors dropped all charges in June, citing lack of evidence of any illegality.
By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
Rival parties on Thursday clashed after President Lee Myung-bak’s office rejected both opposition-named independent counsel candidates to probe a scandal over his retirement home plan.
The main opposition Democratic United Party sharply criticized Lee as it seeks to make the probe a key campaign issue for the Dec. 19 presidential election, while the ruling Saenuri Party strived to contain negative fallout on its candidate.
Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday turned down the two candidates recommended by the DUP, citing a lack of inter-party consensus over what should be a “politically neutral” procedure. It requested re-nomination through bipartisan consultation.
The DUP warned that Lee could contravene the special probe law should he not appoint one of the lawyers by Friday ― within the five days of its recommendation as stipulated in the law. Independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo’s camp also pressured Lee to “follow the decision by the National Assembly.”
Lee and the ruling Saenuri Party appeared uneasy over the DUP-picked candidates as the two ― lawyers Kim Hyeong-tae and Lee Gwang-beom ― are known for their progressive views.
The DUP and the Saenuri Party agreed in June to push for independent counsel legislation, after tough negotiations over parliamentary committee chairmanships and other issues to open the new National Assembly.
Passed last month, the law states that the DUP is to recommend two candidates, one of whom Lee is to appoint. The parties informally agreed to seek sufficient consultation before finalizing the recommendation.
The DUP argues that it had enough consultation with the ruling party, which argues consensus over the recommendation has yet to be reached and there is, therefore, a critical “procedural problem” undermining political neutrality.
“The agreement has already been reached that the DUP is to make the recommendation. To ensure neutrality and a fair investigation, we have discussed this with the Saenuri Party on a number of occasions,” DUP floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won said in a radio interview.
“Should Lee not appoint a counsel (the DUP recommended), it would be a great burden for Rep. Park Geun-hye, the presidential candidate of the Saenuri Party.”
Stressing that the recommendation should be reached based on bipartisan consensus, Saenuri floor leader Rep. Lee Hahn-koo upbraided the DUP for attempting to politically use the case ahead of the election.
“If the DUP really intends to unearth the truth behind the case rather than smearing the president, it should re-nominate the neutral candidates through smooth consultation with the Saenuri Party,” he said during the party’s Supreme Council meeting.
President Lee’s son Lee Si-hyung and six others were accused in October 2011 of using about 1 billion won ($898,000) of government funds to buy land for the retirement home in Naegok-dong in southern Seoul.
The project was later scrapped upon public criticism of the project that involved a joint purchase of the land worth 5.4 billion won by Lee’s son and the presidential office.
The prosecutors dropped all charges in June, citing lack of evidence of any illegality.
By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
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Articles by Korea Herald
