05/27(Mon) 20:43

Prosecution U-turns on Kim's Second Son

The country¡¯s top prosecutor, Lee Myeong-jae, told Grand National Party floor leader Lee Kyu-taek, Monday, that the current investigation into President Kim Dae-jung¡¯s son Kim Hong-up would continue, and that Kim would be called in for questioning if sufficient evidence is found that requires doing so, ¡°even in the midst of the World Cup.¡± According to GNP Spokesperson Nam Kyung-pil, Assemblyman Lee telephoned the Supreme Public Prosecutor General partially in connection to talk about how some stages of the investigation might be postponed until after the football competition. Park Man of the Supreme Public Prosecutor¡¯s Office confirmed this position with reporters covering the prosecution.

Last Friday, the GNP announced that some of its Assembly members would visit prosecutor Lee¡¯s offices to lodge a protest regarding a prosecution announcement that seemed to hint at a delay in calling Kim in for questioning. After Monday¡¯s telephone conversation, however, GNP party officials have called off plans to actually go to prosecution offices.

According to Spokesman Nam, prosecutor Lee said that prosecutors may have talked about postponing the timing of Kim Hong-eop¡¯s questioning because they were concerned it would hinder a successful World Cup, but that he assured the GNP that the investigation would continue on schedule. Nam added that prior to their telephone conversation, Lee Jeong-su, head of the prosecution¡¯s public security section, also spoke with Assemblyman Lee on the phone and assured him that the announcement about the possibility Kim could be called in for questioning at a date after the World Cup was the result of the prosecution¡¯s ¡°true intentions not being conveyed correctly,¡± and that ¡°it is the prosecution¡¯s firm intention to investigate by calling in [Kim] for questioning as soon as there is ample evidence for doing so.¡±

(Lee Myeong-jin, mjlee@chosun.com)