New Justice Minister Thanks Liege Lord

Justice Minister Ahn Dong-su's purported acceptance speech, adopting courtly imagery to express gratitude to President Kim Dae-jung and take an oath of fealty in next year's political campaign, has the political arena rocking.

The opposition Grand National Party demanded Tuesday that the president sack the minister he had appointed Monday.

"We cannot help but question Mr. Ahn's capacity as a minister when he thanks the president for his 'grace and favor,'" the opposition spokesman, Kwon Chul-hyon said. "We cannot but question his sense of morality, especially as he pins the blame for drafting the document on a third person when situation has gotten out of hand. The president should depose him."

The Blue House and the ruling Millennium Democrats defended the new minister, saying that "taking issue with a document not written by nor publicly spoken by the new minister is an irresponsible political offensive by the opposition."

The document, said the ruling party spokesman, Jeon Yong-hak, was a preliminary draft. "A female employee at the law office mistakenly sent to the press room a draft statement written by a fellow lawyer. Mr. Ahn did not make such a speech, and we conclude that he did not write it."

The draft was made public when reporters covering the prosecution beat asked for Mr. Ahn's acceptance speech. In the text, allegedly written by fellow lawyer Lee Kyong-taek, the president is thanked for his "immense grace and favor in this exceptional appointment."

The writer then pledges to "stake my life to do my utmost in the latter half of the administration. ... Only a successful president and the people's government can retain the Blue House. I will do my best to help win the presidential election."

Mr. Lee's authorship of the text came into question in a meeting with reporters Tuesday when he indirectly admitted that he did not write it. It turned out, moreover, that he was playing golf at the time the draft was in process.

Monday's appointment of the new minister was regarded as unusual. Mr. Ahn had been heading the Millennium Democratic Party's district chapter in Seocho B district in southern Seoul, often regarded as a springboard to higher office. But he made his career as a human rights lawyer; he spent only six years as a field prosecutor. He hails from Seochon, South Chungchong province, and is thus the only senior official in the justice and security ranks who is not from the president's home Cholla region.

Also named Monday was Shin Seung-nam as new prosecutor-general. He is a Chollan with a high-flying track record, having graduated at the head of his class at Seoul National University, as well as earning the highest score at the National Bar Exam.

by Lee Soo-ho