Korean Job Discussion Forums

[garykasparov]

Rival parties brace for Kim Kyung-jun scandal




The presidential election may undergo a major shift following the return of Kim Kyung-jun, a former business partner of frontrunner Lee Myung-bak, who claims to have critical evidence against the conservative candidate.

Liberal parties, led by the largest United New Democratic Party, yesterday stepped up their offensive on Lee's alleged financial improprieties, while the Grand National Party strived to protect its candidate.

Kim Kyung-jun, a key suspect in the stock price manipulation and embezzlement case, arrived in Seoul yesterday to face an investigation by local prosecutors.

Lee currently leads the race in the Dec. 19 election with an average approval rating of 40 percent, followed by senior politician Lee Hoi-chang and the UNDP candidate Chung Dong-young, who garner about 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively.

Amid the ongoing suspicions of his connection to a 2001 stock manipulation scandal and the senior politician's belated candidacy, Lee's popularity recently fell by an average of 10 percent.

While Lee Hoi-chang hopes to sweep up conservative votes by exposing the frontrunner's financial wrongdoings, Chung is striving to gather support from politically moderate voters in their 30s to 40s.

Kim claims that Lee was the real culprit in the financial scandal dating back to 2001. Lee denies the allegations.

Striving to maintain its composure, the conservative GNP emphasized that Kim's return would not have any influence on Lee's frontrunning position and pressed the prosecution to conduct an impartial investigation.

"The truth now lies in the hands of the prosecution. We expect prosecutors to prove the liberal camp's assertions wrong and clear Lee's name promptly," said GNP spokesperson Park Hyong-joon yesterday.

Park added that the case should not become another "Kim Dae-up case." Kim Dae-up, who had a connection with former Millennium Democratic Party politicians alleged during the 2002 election that Lee Hoi-chang - then GNP candidate - bribed officials so that his sons could dodge compulsory military service. Kim was later convicted of making false accusations.

"Prosecutors should also brace themselves for excessive media attention and keep the case closed to the public until the probe ends," Park added.

The GNP has been moving fast to come up with countermeasures. The party set up an in-house Clean Politics Commission earlier this week, led by prosecutor-turned-politician Hong Joon-pyo.

The UNDP intensified its offensive on the GNP candidate, warning the conservative party against taking "fishy actions" to cover for the frontrunner.

"The GNP should never try to conceal the truth for the sake of the nation," said UNDP spokesperson Lee Nak-Yon. "The prosecution should not restrain the people's right to know and reveal all details promptly."

The UNDP set up a new committee led by floor leader Kim Hyo-suk to keep an eye on the investigation and conduct its own legal examination of the case. The committee was set up to counter the GNP's Clean Politics Committee, Kim said.

Lee Myung-bak's rivals stepped up attacks to undermine his candidacy.

The UNDP's Chung Dong-young openly criticized the frontrunner, labeling him a "dubious candidate" during his regional tour stop in Daegu yesterday.

"How can a candidate of such weak morals become the leader of the nation?" he said. "This election will be a showdown between corrupted and transparent political forces. People will know who they should choose."

Lee Myung-bak's conservative rival Lee Hoi-chang, who belatedly threw his hat into the ring last week, pressed the frontrunner to withdraw his candidacy if he was not ready to come completely clean.

"The people are suffering from serious confusion about whether or not they should vote for a candidate with such financial improprieties," said Kang Sam-jae, aide of Lee Hoi-chang. "Candidate Lee should seriously consider giving up his candidacy for the sake of the nation."

The once retired politician Lee Hoi-chang made an abrupt decision to join the race for the third time, citing danger for the conservative forces due to Lee Myung-bak's immorality.


By Shin Hae-in


([email protected])








2007.11.1


http://www.theworldpress.com/press/worldpress/southkoreapress/herald.htm

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Kimchieluver]

So many Kims and Lees.. a little hard to follow casually.

[bassexpander]

Lee Myong bak is over. Stick a fork in him.

He's been involved in too many underhanded deals, and it's all coming out now (as the liberal media here is thrilled to show).

It began with him getting out of military service due to a destructive respiratory (or throat?) disease, and within the same month, was given a very good company job which he seemed to have no troubles working at from day one. As you can see, he is quite healthy now, many years later. This point is not sitting well with Korean men, as you can well-imagine.

Also, several shady business deals involving close family members have come to light.