Roh signals disapproval of extension for counsel

President Roh Moo-hyun yesterday suggested that he will veto the independent counsel’s request for a 30-day extension of its mandate. The counsel is looking into the alleged cash-for-summit scandal and bribes to North Korea.
“My hope is that we wrap up what we can, at this point, “ Mr. Roh said, as he spoke with residents at his former neighborhood in Myeongnyun-dong, Seoul.
He said he would prefer to see separate investigations into other allegations that have been raised in the course of the investigation.
The counsel, Song Doo-hwan, asked Mr. Roh on Friday to extend the counsel’s 70-day life by another month. On Saturday, Mr. Roh met Mr. Song at the Blue House to discuss the request further. Moon Jae-in, the senior secretary for civil affairs, told reporters that Mr. Song had assured the president that he had no plans to extend the investigation as far as former President Kim Dae-jung, who received the lion’s share of the credit ― and a Nobel Peace Prize ― for his reconciliation policies toward North Korea and the June 2000 inter-Korean summit, the first such meeting.
Mr. Roh said he would announce his decision today. (Pressures he faces: Page 3.)
Yoo Ihn-tae, the Blue House senior secretary for political affairs, added yesterday. “If the independent counsel concludes its investigation, it is the Blue House’s expectation that the prosecution will look into the allegation that former Culture and Tourism Minister Park Jie-won received 15 billion won ($12.5 million).” Mr. Park allegedly received the money from the Hyundai Group, but its disposition is unclear. Mr. Song cited that matter as part of his plea for an extension of his mandate.
“We are near the finish on the main allegations of irregular loans in return for favors,” Mr. Song reportedly told the president. He added, “But a new suspicion concerning the 15 billion won, which is not pertinent to our investigation, has been raised, and people question what happened.”

by Chun Young-gi