Roh acts to distance himself from president and scandal

Home > National > Politics

print dictionary print

Roh acts to distance himself from president and scandal

In a move to distance himself and his party from President Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, presidential nominee of the Millennium Democratic Party, called Thursday for the formation of a politically neutral cabinet to end national partisan strife. The Blue House was stung by the call.

"I propose to President Kim Dae-jung to appoint a new prime minister, justice minister and government administration and home affairs minister and others responsible for elections after receiving suggestions from the Grand National Party."

Mr. Roh also proposed a meeting with his rival, Grand National Party nominee Lee Hoi-chang, to discuss special anti-corruption legislation.

In a press conference held at MDP headquarters in Yeouido, Mr. Roh said that the appointment of a justice minister agreed to with the Grand National Party would ensure that "corruption cases can be dealt with fairly and sternly." The prosecution has been criticized as incompetent, corrupt and politically biased in its handling of corruption cases said to involve several senior presidential aides and two of Mr. Kim's sons.

Concerning Representative Kim Hong-il, the president's oldest son, and the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation for the Asia-Pacific Region, Mr. Roh said, "The decision is President Kim and Representative Kim's. But I expect that they will come up with a decision that upholds the people's will." That comment was seen by pundits as a request for Representative Kim to resign from the party and for the foundation to be dissolved. Although Representative Kim has not been named in bribery cases as his two younger brothers have been, there have been allegations that he has associated with criminal elements; he has denied those allegations.

Mr. Roh had been hesitant earlier to confront the administration despite the party's humiliating defeat in the June 13 local elections. brought on largely by the taints of the corruption scandals implicating the president's two younger sons. Mr. Roh also proposed to require legislative confirmation of appointments to the posts of director of the National Intelligence Service, the prosecutor-general, commissioner of the National Police Agency and commissioner of the National Tax Service.

His other proposals include setting up an agency to investigate corruption charges against the president's relatives and senior government officials and mandating the use of bank drafts for political donations exceeding a set amount.

Presidential spokeswoman Park Sun-sook said, "Mr. Roh's comments are regrettable." She reminded Mr. Roh and the party that the president has already resigned from party presidency and that the government is being run in a neutral and fair manner.

Fellow Millennium Democrats -- Representatives Park Sang-cheon and Chung Kyun-hwan, and Han Kwang-ok, all of whom have differences with Mr. Roh -- criticized Mr. Roh for "going it alone."

The Grand National Party gave Mr. Roh no encouragement either.

"Attempts at legislation for an anti-corruption law should be dealt with in the National Assembly, and it is not right to appoint ministers as if to divide them up among parties," said the Grand National Party spokesman, Nam Kyung-pil.

In response to Mr. Roh's request for him to leave the party, Kim Hong-il said Thursday that he stands by his decision not to do so. In a brief interview before he left for China for medical treatment, Mr. Hong said, "I am just as frustrated. I will say all I have to say when I am more free to do so."

by Kim Chong-hyuk

Log in to Twitter or Facebook account to connect
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
help-image Social comment?
s
lock icon

To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.

Standards Board Policy (0/250자)