If they stand on such political calculations, they will ignore clear facts and logic. Prosecutors have from the start clearly said claims regarding false-name accounts were groundless. Despite this, the GNP and some newspapers have reset the tone of the allegations as if prosecutors must investigate the existence of such accounts instead of the slander charges against Cho. They have paid no attention to the fact that prosecutors have repeatedly said there is no truth to those allegations. There is also no need to dig up the records from that time to make Cho take responsibility for his mistake. As prosecutors have stated, Cho was not in a position to know or receive reports regarding the prosecutors investigation results or the progress of their investigation. He himself said he received it from a weekly paper or an Internet media. As a result, he seemingly made the claim without any grounds to believe it was true. Anyone with normal judgement capacity would have thought in such a situation that it at least might not be true. This being the case, it is the absurd move to direct people’s attention away from the hearings that they have insisted on a thorough investigation into the matter by even a special prosecutor. If prosecutors join in on this strategy, they will be swept away in a tide of distrust stronger than what currently exists. They must show a strict and principled investigation posture. The GNP should also stop throwing away public unity to deal with a momentary political circumstance. Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
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[Editorial] The GNP’s underhanded political attack to save the commissioner-designate |
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) has made repeated calls to open a special investigation into a claim by Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) Commissioner-designate Cho Hyun-oh that late President Roh Moo-hyun had a slush fund in false-name accounts.
They are saying that if people are going to force Cho to take responsibility for his remark, they must first determine the validity of his allegation. Pro-ruling party newspapers have also demanded that the truth be uncovered, as if the false-name accounts were real.
It is easy to see why they are suddenly making these claims. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has criticized the calls as an attempt to protect the nominee during his confirmation hearing. Even some members of the GNP have also voiced disapproval, calling it an unreasonable political attack on Roh.
One high-ranking GNP official said it was an attempt to change the aspect of the confirmation hearings, during which a variety of suspicions have been revealed. He has said that it is a political strategy to blunt the edge of the opposition’s knife, support Cho and get through the party’s immediate political troubles.
If they stand on such political calculations, they will ignore clear facts and logic. Prosecutors have from the start clearly said claims regarding false-name accounts were groundless. Despite this, the GNP and some newspapers have reset the tone of the allegations as if prosecutors must investigate the existence of such accounts instead of the slander charges against Cho. They have paid no attention to the fact that prosecutors have repeatedly said there is no truth to those allegations. There is also no need to dig up the records from that time to make Cho take responsibility for his mistake. As prosecutors have stated, Cho was not in a position to know or receive reports regarding the prosecutors investigation results or the progress of their investigation. He himself said he received it from a weekly paper or an Internet media. As a result, he seemingly made the claim without any grounds to believe it was true. Anyone with normal judgement capacity would have thought in such a situation that it at least might not be true. This being the case, it is the absurd move to direct people’s attention away from the hearings that they have insisted on a thorough investigation into the matter by even a special prosecutor. If prosecutors join in on this strategy, they will be swept away in a tide of distrust stronger than what currently exists. They must show a strict and principled investigation posture. The GNP should also stop throwing away public unity to deal with a momentary political circumstance. Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
If they stand on such political calculations, they will ignore clear facts and logic. Prosecutors have from the start clearly said claims regarding false-name accounts were groundless. Despite this, the GNP and some newspapers have reset the tone of the allegations as if prosecutors must investigate the existence of such accounts instead of the slander charges against Cho. They have paid no attention to the fact that prosecutors have repeatedly said there is no truth to those allegations. There is also no need to dig up the records from that time to make Cho take responsibility for his mistake. As prosecutors have stated, Cho was not in a position to know or receive reports regarding the prosecutors investigation results or the progress of their investigation. He himself said he received it from a weekly paper or an Internet media. As a result, he seemingly made the claim without any grounds to believe it was true. Anyone with normal judgement capacity would have thought in such a situation that it at least might not be true. This being the case, it is the absurd move to direct people’s attention away from the hearings that they have insisted on a thorough investigation into the matter by even a special prosecutor. If prosecutors join in on this strategy, they will be swept away in a tide of distrust stronger than what currently exists. They must show a strict and principled investigation posture. The GNP should also stop throwing away public unity to deal with a momentary political circumstance. Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
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