Lawyers Defend Critique

Jeong Jae-hun, president of the Korean Bar Association, said Thursday the resolution the group adopted Monday reflects its members' wishes for the government's reforms to continue in harmony with the rule of law.

In a statement issued through Ha Chang-woo, the association's spokesman, Mr. Jeong said the resolution had gone through a sufficient review by heads of the association's local chapters around the country as well as members who attended the annual gathering Monday.

He added that he hoped the political parties and the media would understand that the association had no ulterior motives for adopting the resolution.

The resolution criticized what it called a regression in the rule of law in favor of reforms by the current administration. The resolution called on the Kim administration to pursue reforms without violating the law.

The spokesman, Mr. Ha, said the sporadic calls for the impeachment of President Kim Dae-jung voiced by some lawyers during the annual gathering reflected the private views of some of its members, and that the association does not advocate impeaching the president.

Legal experts said Mr. Jeong's statement was aimed both at the legal community and politicians who have used the resolution as political weapon.

The statement emphasizes the fact that the resolution had been thoroughly reviewed by the leadership of the association.

Lawyers for a Democratic Society, a group of "progressive" lawyers, and the president of the Seoul chapter of the bar association took issue with the resolution on procedural grounds, and this statement was meant to soften the chorus of complaints, experts said.

They also said the statement was aimed at preventing the lawyer's association from becoming mired in the partisan political battle that has intensified lately over the investigation into the tax records of newspaper companies.

Mr. Ha said he hoped Mr. Jeong's statement would put an end to the controversy over the resolution. A number of political experts, however, said they are skeptical that it would.

by Cheong Yong-whan