Opposition leader Moon Jae-in on Thursday called for the resignation of President Park Geun-hye’s chief of staff and a special probe by an independent counsel into a graft scandal involving top officials, saying only a thorough investigation would end the “vicious circle of corrupt politics.”

Moon, from the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, also denied speculation that the former Roh Moo-hyun administration granted a special pardon to deceased businessman Sung Woan-jong in December 2007 although he was not eligible.

The ruling Saenuri Party alleged that Roh’s aides including Moon, who served as Roh’s chief of staff, might have had questionable ties to Sung, who has been at the center of the scandal.

“The crux of this scandal is the illicit political funds. How the illegal money was spent should be clearly ascertained. Only then can we end the politics of money and the vicious circle of corrupt politics,” Moon said during a press conference.

Moon also pressured President Park’s Chief of Staff Lee Byung-kee to step down, and urged Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and senior civil affair secretary Woo Byung-woo to take their hands off the ongoing prosecution’s probe.

“The truth can’t be uncovered when those who are suspected of corruption still remain in their current positions. They should bow out,” he said.

Before committing suicide earlier this month, former Keangnam Enterprises chairman Sung left a list of eight high-profile politicians including Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo and presidential chief of staff Lee, indicating they took bribes. The prime minister offered to resign on Monday.

Touching on speculation about the special pardon in 2007, Moon stressed that no officials in the Roh administration received kickbacks from Sung.

“I hope that political strife will not emerge again over the issue of the special pardon. I can say for certain that no one in Cheong Wa Dae during the Roh administration received any dirty money,” he said.

Speculation erupted earlier this week after a ruling party lawmaker argued that former President Roh included Sung on the list of special presidential pardons at the last minute, despite opposition from the Justice Ministry. The argument indicated there were corrupt ties between the Roh government and the disgraced businessman.

The NPAD has countered that Roh’s decision to include Sung on the list was made because of calls from then-President-elect Lee Myung-bak’s transition committee. Lee’s side has rejected the claims.

Regarding the special probe, ruling party leader Kim Moo-sung told reporters, “If (Moon) is that confident, I will welcome a probe into the case (to see if anyone in the Roh government had received any bribes).”

During the press conference, Moon demanded that an independent probe be launched to investigate the scandal surrounding the so-called resource diplomacy policy conducted by the former Lee government. The opposition parties have argued that corruption in the implementation of the policy wasted taxpayers’ money.

Moon also called on President Park to craft viable legal and institutional frameworks to stamp out corruption and push for political reform. He asked Park to provide answers to his demands after she returns from her four-nation trip to Latin America next week.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)