Commenting on the release on bail of former Donga Ilbo honorary chairman Kim Byung-kwan, Grand National Party Spokesman Kwon Chul-hyun called for the release of two other jailed newspaper owners, saying that the National Tax Service investigation into the media has now been proved to be premeditated political suppression, and so their should no longer be persecution of its victims.
Citing the book written by Hankyoreh reporter, Seong Han-yong, which showed the NTS probe was intended to tame media critical of the government, Kwon said ¡°justice in taxation¡± and ¡°freedom of the press¡± repeatedly claimed by the government has been shown to be a blatant lie, adding that it also proved that Cheong Wa Dae was behind the investigation. He commented that now this was in the open, the detention of the newspaper owners had lost its significance.
Kwon continued that if the government still believed that its tax probe was rightful, then it could prove this at court without requiring defendants to be held in custody.
Chang Kwang-keun, senior deputy spokesman for the GNP issued a statement countering the Millennium Democratic Party and Cheong Wa Dae¡¯s claims that newspaper reports of the book had been excessive, saying that its author Seong had told reporters he could not write lies about the NTS probe, as all would come to light after one year with a change in government. Chang added that Seong had said all events in the book were covered by him and were verifiable.
He went on that now was not the time to lie to the people, but rather to tell the truth, noting that the recent by-election results should have shown the government that the general public will not tolerate being lied to. Chang also called for the punishment of the senior secretaries who had made such ¡°violent¡± comments.
(Choi Gu-shik, qs1234@chosun.com)
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