A small plot gets big

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A small plot gets big

Published: 16 Aug. 2007, 22:04

The future of the country depends on a small plot of land in southern Seoul. Lee Myung-bak, the presidential contender, denies suspicions that he was the real owner. His elder brother claims he was the owner of the land. Two men who managed the elder Lee’s assets are involved. Supporters of Park Geun-hye, his rival, maintain Lee was the owner and must withdraw from the campaign. The prosecution holds the key to erasing suspicions. The Grand National Party and the people are watching the case with bated breath. All of these need to focus on finding the truth and they only have 48 hours left for this vital task.
Lee must face the facts. He claims he can prove his innocence. But the people want the truth, not a claim. He must convince his brother and the two men in charge of his assets to go to the prosecution and reveal the facts. They have hesitated to do that, so people have become suspicious. The prosecution questioned Lee’s brother-in-law and said suspicions regarding him had been cleared up, so people were convinced. He took a DNA test to clear suspicions that he and his other older brother were half-brothers. The test cleared suspicions. Lee must do the same in this case, with regard to his brother Lee Sang-eun.
Winning the party primary is not everything. Lee must promise that he will drop out of the presidential race if it turns out that he was the real owner of the land after he gets the GNP’s nomination.
Lee’s brother and the two men must appear before the prosecution. This issue is no longer their personal affair. They must speak the truth before the people.
The prosecution has itself to blame for criticism and disgrace. The prosecution must deal in facts only. But it presented a vague allegation that there might have been a third person who owned the land. The prosecution made the suspicion grow instead of clearing it up. Some 40 days have passed since the lawsuit was filed and the special department in the prosecutors’ office has done little.
The prosecution revealed that it could disclose the content of the investigation if the political circle keeps criticizing it, as if making a threat. This is why the people doubt that the prosecution is hiding something. The prosecution probably thinks that the investigation must be ended at some point, because that is the customary procedure in a libel case. The logic goes that it was enough to find out whether the land was Lee Sang-eun’s property or not, and there is no need to go further to find the real owner.
But the issue has now involved a presidential hopeful who enjoys the highest approval rating in the opinion polls.
The prosecution must find the truth before the Grand National Party’s primary, if possible.
It is wrong for Park’s camp to demand Lee’s withdrawal from the campaign.
The prosecution reported that it appeared there was a third person who owned the land. There is no evidence that points to Lee Myung-bak as the owner. Talking about withdrawal is an unnecessary threat.
To make the issue of a small site a big deal is a sign that our society has matured.
Even though this issue has created a great deal of conflict, it will contribute to a better future in the end.