Parties use hearing to do battle

Twenty-seven government agencies faced questioning Monday on the opening of the National Assembly hearing on 2002 government activities. Members of the Millennium Democratic Party and the opposition Grand National Party engaged in heated battles at the hearing.

Representative Park Yang-soo of the MDP alleged that physical examination records submitted by a son of GNP presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang to the Military Manpower Administration were fabricated. Mr. Lee's son was exempted from military service for being underweight.

"A different administrator signed the muster roll for Mr. Lee's eldest son Jeong-yeon than for another man, who received a check-up on the same day and place," Mr. Park said at the Assembly hearing on the Ministry of National Defense.

Representative Park Se-hwan of the GNP argued there is nothing unusual about the different signature as the man in question was not exempted from service and likely underwent different steps in filing his physical exam record.

Major General Heo Jun-pyeong, who testified at the hearing, admitted the handwriting looked different but added that it is not necessary for one person to fill out all the records.

Representative Kim Moon-soo of the GNP alleged at a separate hearing that Kolon TNS lobbied the Blue House and the Korea Organizing Committee for the 2002 World Cup to supply curtains for the soccer tournament. Mr. Kim said the organizing committee sent a false report to FIFA, soccer's governing body, Mr. Kim said.

The lawmaker asserted that Kim Jae-gi, head of the Korea Tourism Association; Lee Dong-bo, CEO of Kolon TNS; Chung Mong-joon, president of the World Cup organizing committee, and Cha Yeong, a former Blue House official met Dec. 11, 2001. Mr. Kim said Kolon TNS likely won the deal at the meeting.

Kim Jin-pyo, minister of government policy coordination, said Kolon TNS was the only firm vying for the contract after another supplier bowed out.

Representative Ko Heung-kil of the GNP said that President Kim Dae-jung's brother-in-law tried in 1998 to trick the monks at Yongsusa Temple in Gyeonggi province into giving him land owned by the temple.

The land had an assessed value of 9 billion won ($7.5 million). Mr. Ko said President Kim should apologize for his brother-in-law's actions.

by Lee Sang-il, Seo Seung-wook