Press 'nationalization' row boiling

The dispute over remarks about "nationalizing the press" allegedly made by Roh Moo-hyun, the leading candidate in the ruling Millennium Democratic Party's primaries, continued to snowball on Friday.

The main opposition Grand National Party and the United Liberal Democrats called for convening the National Assembly's Culture and Tourism Committee to inquire into whether Mr. Roh made the remarks, which he denies having done. It is thought to be the prelude to full hearings in the National Assembly.

Representative Rhee In-je, Mr. Roh's main rival, said Friday morning in Daegu, "Mr. Roh's remarks are an immovable fact." Later in the day, however, Mr. Rhee was soundly beaten by Mr. Roh in the Daegu primary, ending his status as front-runner.

At the Friday evening television debate held in Incheon prior to the Saturday primary there, Mr. Rhee called on Mr. Roh to clarify his comments.

"Nationalizing the press cannot be done even by a dictator," Mr. Rhee said. "Mr. Roh claims that it was a 'fabrication,' but it is the proper stance of a politician to either admit his mistake or correct distorted facts."

Mr. Roh denied making the remarks. "Had I uttered that shocking remark last August, it would only be fair that it should be reported," he said, adding that "the thought of nationalizing the press never entered my mind."

In Thursday's television debate in Daegu, Mr. Roh claimed he was being attacked by "a few newspapers who dislike my stance on limiting the ownership of the press." Mr. Roh has advocated capping press ownership so that no family can gain majority control of a newspaper.

As the two presidential hopefuls continue to stick to their stories, the dispute is poised to grow into one over one or the other presidential candidate's truthfulness and general morality.

Meanwhile, a Grand National Party spokesman, Nam Kyung-pil, said, "It should be made clear who of the two is lying and the reporters who were there should reveal the truth because they have an obligation to fulfill the public's right to know."

Spokesman Chung Jin-suk of the minor opposition party, the United Liberal Democrats, said, "The comment is tyrannical and leftist, and squarely challenges free liberal democracy."

by Kim Chong-hyuk