Golfing General Drives Wedge Between Parties

The ruling and opposition parties clashed Thursday at the National Assembly's National Defense Committee over how to deal with Cho Young-gil, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who admitted to playing golf even after being informed of the intrusion of North Korean vessels into South Korean waters.

The opposition Grand National Party demanded that the committee subpoena Mr. Cho to inquire about his golf trip with Defense Minister Kim Dong-shin and other military leaders on June 2, when North Korean commercial vessels crossed into South Korean waters for the first time.

But the ruling Millennium Democratic Party insisted on first holding a scheduled subcommittee meeting on revising the law on military conscription.

"Reviewing the law is important," Rep. Kang Chang-seong countered. "But we need to deal urgently with a matter that is foremost in the nation's mind."

Mr. Kang said the entire nation was aghast to learn that the defense minister and the chairman of the joint chiefs continued to drink and play golf while commanding troops during the violation of South Korean territory by a Northern commercial ship.

"Some have pleaded for mercy, arguing that Mr. Cho's admission of the incident will effectively strip him of his authority with the 700,000 troops he commands," Mr. Kang said. "But this matter cannot be left there."

Rep. Chang Young-dal, a Millennium Democrat, suggested postponing a probe into the matter until the defense minister returns from a trip to the United States.

Rep. Park Sung-kook of the Grand National Party said that the American president cancels his vacation if a national emergency occurs. He called for the defense minister's immediate resignation.

by Lee Chul-hee