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[garykasparov]

Rivals continue to spar over scandal




Presidential candidates continued to fight over a fraud case involving frontrunner Lee Myung-bak's former business partner yesterday, as the campaign heats up 12 days before the presidential election.
Lee's Grand National Party yesterday called for a probe into allegations that government officials met frequently with fraud suspect Kim Kyung-joon before he retuned to Seoul in November.

Kim claimed Lee had been involved in the fraud, but prosecutors said Wednesday they found no evidence to support the claim.

A newspaper reported yesterday Kim told one of his fellow inmates at a Los Angeles detention center that he made a deal with senior Korean officials under which he would be pardoned or get a lighter punishment if he testified as they wanted.

Separately, a magazine reported that Kim assured his father that key officials and pro-government politicians would protect him, when the father tried to dissuade him from going to Korea.

In October, he dropped an appeal he had filed against extradition. He arrived in Seoul to face arrest on charges of stock price rigging, embezzlement and forgery.

The GNP said the reports indicated that his abrupt return was masterminded by the pro-government political camp to damage Lee's presidential bid.

"Whoever is behind Kim should be gravely punished. This kind of sinister political maneuvering should be ended," Ahn Sang-soo, floor leader of the GNP, said during a meeting of senior party officials.

He called for the prosecutors to immediately begin a probe into the allegations. A simple examination of the list of visitors to Kim in the detention facility will suffice to unveil those engaged in the political plot, he added.

The party launched its own probe, which would allow the party to effectively fight liberal parties' continued offensive against the financial fraud case. The prosecutors concluded Wednesday Lee was not engaged in the scam but his rivals claim the investigation was insufficient and politically twisted.

The GNP also urged Chung Dong-young, presidential candidate of the United New Democratic Party, to come clean over whether he was engaged in the alleged deal with Kim.

"Chung himself should answer. We will pursue those who pulled the strings, even after the presidential election ends, and will make the perpetrators face justice," said Na Kyung-won, GNP spokesperson, told reporters.

The magazine, Inside the World, quoted Kim's father as saying during a confession of faith at his church in Los Angeles that former President Kim Dae-jung's aides also met Kim before his return and that Kim believed too much in the government officials.

Independent candidate Lee Hoi-chang yesterday continued his attack on the presidential frontrunner, Lee Myung-bak, calling on him to answer the lingering allegations.

The independent candidate also ruled out the possibility of aligning with the GNP before the Dec.19 vote.

"The allegations against Lee Myung-bak have not let up despite the prosecution's investigation results. I think it would be the right thing for him to step up and clarify whatever needs to be clarified and ask for the public's forgiveness if he has done something to warrant an apology," the former GNP chairman and founder said from Hyeonchungsa, a temple in South Chungcheong Province that holds memorial services for famous general Yi Sun-shin.

The independent also made it clear that he supports the liberal parties' latest bill calling for an independent counsel investigate the allegations against Lee Myung-bak, namely, whether he was involved in stock manipulation and if he owns expensive land in the Southern Seoul area.

"The doubts about Lee Myung-bak have far from evaporated. In fact, the doubts have even deepened. In my view, the Lee Myung-bak case is far from closed. The fact that the prosecution made an announcement has not changed anything," Lee Hoi-chang said.

To questions on whether he is considering aligning with the GNP, the independent invited the GNP to join his alliance instead.

Lee Hoi-chang recently joined forces with Shim Dae-pyung of the Chungcheong-based People First Party. Shim has quit the race.

The alliance has led Lee Myung-bak to focus on appealing to Chungcheong Province voters where he has a relatively weak support base.

Yesterday, the GNP contender, together with alliance partner Chung Mong-joon, visited Daejeon and Cheongju areas in Chungcheong. In a meeting with Daejeon City's mayor, Lee said the province is the heart of the country. He also pledged to step up support for Daejeon's science technology and knowledge industries.


By Kim Ji-hyun


([email protected])




2007.12.08


http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2007/12/08/200712080027.asp

[Milwaukiedave]

I severly doubt anything will come of it. LMB is most likely going to win the election anyway.