Roh must face the nation

Former President Roh Moo-hyun’s attitude is increasingly disappointing. He posted another statement on his Web site Wednesday night, but it appears to be another excuse. “The truth that I know and what the prosecution suspects will not be the same,” he wrote. He also said he had apologized for his wrongdoing, asking his supporters to wait and see.

Roh’s position is incredibly wrong. In his first statement, posted on Tuesday, Roh said he had apologized, but that does not mean he had actually done so. Roh’s supporters regard the former president’s apology as real courage, but most people don’t even accept it as an apology, not to mention an act of courage. It’s because the possibility grew that Roh’s arguments are all lies. False excuses can never be accepted as apologies.

What prosecutors learned through their investigation is different from what Roh claims. In his first statement, Roh said Chung Sang-moon, who once served as presidential administrative affairs secretary for him, is being questioned on charges of receiving money from Taekwang Industrial Chairman Park Yeon-cha. At the time, Roh expressed concerns that “Chung may tell prosecutors that he had done so.” Roh then explained that the charges should not be directed to Chung. “My home [wife] made the request, received the money and used it,” the former president wrote.

According to prosecutors, that’s not the truth at all. Chung received 300 million won in cash and 100 million won in gift certificates from Park. That is separate from the money that Roh had claimed as the sum used by his wife to repay outstanding debts.

According to Park, the money was “given” to Roh. The money was never a loan, and Park also testified that Roh himself demanded the sum. There seems to be no way out of this corruption. Suspicions arose that Roh’s son was involved in an $5 million investment from Park to Roh’s niece’s husband, Yeon Cheol-ho. Roh Gun-ho, the son, visited Park with Yeon to Vietnam. Around that time, Roh Gun-ho had no income, but he went to school in the United States and invested $100,000 into a friend’s company.

Following the allegations involving the former president’s elder brother and wife, now the son is implicated. And yet, Roh argues that the prosecution has already decided what happened and is trying to frame the investigation accordingly.

Roh also said he will face legal assessment if necessary, but that’s also inappropriate. It seems he wanted to state his innocence, but the situation has gone too far.

What Roh should face is a punishment and the consequences. As a person who once led this country, Roh should face the entire nation, rather than only talking to his supporters.