Cheong Wa Dae hinted Thursday at the possibility of President Lee Myung-bak vetoing a special probe into the controversy surrounding the scrapped plan to build his retirement home.
The National Assembly passed the motion on Monday and sent it to the presidential office for Lee’s approval.
A senior presidential official said that the legislation has legal problems as it could undermine political neutrality by allowing the main opposition Democratic United Party to recommend the independent counsel to investigate the case.
“The decision may be made after President Lee’s return from his overseas trip. But it is difficult to accept the legislation itself,” the official told reporters, declining to be named.
“The special counsel is to be independent from the president and any political power. There is no precedent that a particular political party recommends the counsel. It runs counter to the principle of the separation of the three powers (administrative, legislative and judicial).”
Under the motion, the president is to appoint one of the two figures the DUP selects among those with more than a decade of experience in the judiciary.
Some ruling party lawmakers have opposed the legislation as the DUP recommendation of the counsel could undermine the objectivity of the probe.
President Lee’s son Lee Si-hyung and six others were accused of using about 1 billion won ($884,000) of government funds to buy the land for the retirement home in southern Seoul.
The project was later scrapped upon elevated 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, citing the lack of evidence of any illegal activities.
Under the legislation, the probe will last for 30 days following a 10-day preparatory period. The investigation can be extended once for 15 days upon request.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
