By Kang Hyun-kyung
Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) demanded Friday that the prosecution show a zero-tolerance policy over corruption allegations involving key aides to President Lee Myung-bak.
In a speech during a meeting with senior DP lawmakers, Sohn said what he called “a corruption tsunami” had made citizens feel hopeless and deeply troubled.
He said, “The epicenter of corruption is the presidential office,” given the fact that several of Lee’s aides were allegedly involved in corruption scandals which surfaced recently.
Sohn made the remarks a day after media reported that former Vice Culture Minister Shin Jae-min allegedly received more than 1 billion won ($850,000) from a businessman.
SLS Group Chairman Lee Kook-chul claimed he gave Shin the money from June 2002 to August 2009, saying he had asked for nothing in return.
The businessman said he gave Shin 100 million won during the presidential campaign season in 2007 when Lee ran on the ruling Grand National Party ticket.
“It will be shocking if cash from a businessman could have flown into Lee’s camp back then just as the businessman claimed,” Sohn said “I urge the prosecution to remember that under any circumstances, it must do its job, which is conducting a fair and thorough investigation of key figures, even though they or their bosses are in a position to influence their probe.”
Earlier, Kim Du-woo, former presidential secretary for public relations affairs, resigned before the prosecution questioned him over whether he received money from a lobbyist in a savings bank scandal.
As Shin and Kim are close aides of President Lee, lawmakers of the main opposition party tried to link their alleged involvement in bribery cases to the ethics of Lee and all his aides.
They have questioned whether there are others who received money from businessmen or lobbyists working for embattled savings banks.
DP legislators were determined to look closely into whether the two figures’ alleged involvement in bribery cases are isolated cases.
The DP set up a special task force to investigate corruption cases related to President Lee’s aides.
Under previous administrations, a set of corruption scandals related to the president’s key aides, friends or relatives have erupted as those in power head to the last year in office.
Corruption and bribery cases have caused the sitting president to struggle with rock bottom popularity, dealing a fatal blow to his management of the state.
Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) demanded Friday that the prosecution show a zero-tolerance policy over corruption allegations involving key aides to President Lee Myung-bak.
In a speech during a meeting with senior DP lawmakers, Sohn said what he called “a corruption tsunami” had made citizens feel hopeless and deeply troubled.
He said, “The epicenter of corruption is the presidential office,” given the fact that several of Lee’s aides were allegedly involved in corruption scandals which surfaced recently.
Sohn made the remarks a day after media reported that former Vice Culture Minister Shin Jae-min allegedly received more than 1 billion won ($850,000) from a businessman.
SLS Group Chairman Lee Kook-chul claimed he gave Shin the money from June 2002 to August 2009, saying he had asked for nothing in return.
The businessman said he gave Shin 100 million won during the presidential campaign season in 2007 when Lee ran on the ruling Grand National Party ticket.
“It will be shocking if cash from a businessman could have flown into Lee’s camp back then just as the businessman claimed,” Sohn said “I urge the prosecution to remember that under any circumstances, it must do its job, which is conducting a fair and thorough investigation of key figures, even though they or their bosses are in a position to influence their probe.”
Earlier, Kim Du-woo, former presidential secretary for public relations affairs, resigned before the prosecution questioned him over whether he received money from a lobbyist in a savings bank scandal.
As Shin and Kim are close aides of President Lee, lawmakers of the main opposition party tried to link their alleged involvement in bribery cases to the ethics of Lee and all his aides.
They have questioned whether there are others who received money from businessmen or lobbyists working for embattled savings banks.
DP legislators were determined to look closely into whether the two figures’ alleged involvement in bribery cases are isolated cases.
The DP set up a special task force to investigate corruption cases related to President Lee’s aides.
Under previous administrations, a set of corruption scandals related to the president’s key aides, friends or relatives have erupted as those in power head to the last year in office.
Corruption and bribery cases have caused the sitting president to struggle with rock bottom popularity, dealing a fatal blow to his management of the state.
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