Roh to mull counsel extension bid, but prospects look dim for renewal

President Roh Moo-hyun said yesterday he would review with his top aides the independent counsel’s request that he extend the investigation period for the cash-for-summit allegations.
“I will review the reasons for the request and consult on the matter with the justice minister, prosecutor-general and civil affairs secretary,” Mr. Roh told his Blue House aides. Song Doo-hwan, the independent counsel, is scheduled to meet with Mr. Roh this morning at the Blue House, and a decision is expected as early as today.
The independent counsel filed a request with the president to extend its investigation period earlier yesterday. The current probe is scheduled to end Wednesday. If Mr. Roh gives his approval, the counsel will have an additional 30 days to conclude its work. If rejected, the counsel will have to finish the indictments of all involved in the case by Wednesday.
“We provided the reasons for our extension request in detail, but we did not include anything about investigating former President Kim Dae-jung,” a counsel source said.
Despite Mr. Roh’s promise to review the counsel’s request, the possibility of such an extension seems dim, because the Blue House is already at work internally preparing a “no” answer. “As of now, all that had to be clarified about the money transfer to North Korea was laid bare,” Moon Hee-sang, the presidential chief of staff, told Blue House political affairs officials at a dinner Thursday, according to a dinner guest.
As the first deadline draws near, the counsel team pressed forward with its investigation. Park Jie-won, the former presidential chief of staff, and Lee Ik-chi, former chairman of Hyundai Securities, were questioned yesterday on the allegation that Mr. Lee gave 15 billion won ($13.4 million) to Mr. Park before the 2000 inter-Korean summit. Mr. Park has consistently denied the charge.

by Kang Min-seok, Jeon Jin-bae