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[Editorial] The champions of corruption

Published: 17 Apr. 2023, 20:14

Democratic Party (DP) Chair Lee Jae-myung apologized Monday over the shocking allegation that scores of envelopes containing cash were handed out to party members before the national convention in 2021 to elect a new party leader. Lee said, “Our party perceives the matter seriously.” He also said he had asked former DP head Song Young-gil to return as soon as possible from France, where he stays. As the prosecution’s investigation goes on, the truth has yet to be found. But given plenty of concrete evidence, the apology by the current party head is understandable.

The majority party holding 169 seats in the 300-member legislature pledged to conduct an internal probe of the case, but not anymore. Admitting the limits to its own investigation, Chairman Lee requested the prosecution deal with the case. Of course, the party does not have the legal authority to investigate the case. But the about-turn proves the incompetence of the party.

In fact, none of the party members did accept their accountability. Even Song, who was elected as the party leader in the convention, put the blame on “individual deviations.” Reps. Yoon Kwan-suk and Lee Sung-man, DP lawmakers suspected of delivering the cash, attacked the prosecution for “political oppression.” If the DP is to survive, new Chair Lee can demand DP legislators under suspicion leave the party. But Lee cannot, as he himself is on trial over a plethora of charges against him.

If the party leader lukewarmly responds to the crisis, it will only deepen. With less than a year left before the next parliamentary elections, DP lawmakers under suspicion will try to keep their seats until the court delivers a final ruling so as to avoid being arrested by the prosecution. But could Lee expel them when he himself is holding on to his post despite his ongoing court trials? There are phone records suggesting that other candidates also gave money to DP members to help Song become a new party leader.

After suspicions arose that former National Assembly speaker Park Hee-tae doled out cash envelopes to members of the Grand National Party, a predecessor of the People Power Party, he was found guilty in a court trial. He claimed it was standard practice at the time, but the bench ruled that it damaged the fundamentals of democracy. Politicians involved in the recent case must admit their mistakes and cooperate with the prosecution’s investigation.

Song, the former party leader in question, must return for investigation. Most of the DP legislators under suspicion were once ardent democracy fighters. Do they really want to be remembered as advocates for corruption instead of inheriting the proud history of their crusade in the 1980s?