By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
The presidential office Wednesday urged the three political parties to reconsider the bill for a special prosecutor to investigate the Samsung lobby scandal because it covers too broad an area and would take about 200 days.
Presidential spokesman Cheon Ho-seon said it is inappropriate for the National Assembly to look into the father-to-wealth transfer case involving Samsung at a time when the Supreme Court is reviewing it.
He said it is desirable for the special prosecutor to look only into the areas that were not fully accounted for during the investigation by state prosecutors.
He added that once the bill is passed without revision, it could mean an abuse of the special prosecutor system.
The spokesman also criticized the conservative Grand National Party (GNP) for seeking to look into the money Samsung allegedly gave in 2002 to ``congratulate'' Roh Moo-hyun's victory in the presidential election. The allegation is totally groundless, he said.
The spokesman did not say whether Roh will veto the bill, saying ``we are advising the political parties to review the bills they submit to the National Assembly.'' A day earlier, Cheong Wa Dae accepted the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the allegations about Samsung.
The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) plans to submit to the National Assembly a bill to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Samsung scandal, a party spokesman said.
The move came one day after three non-conservative presidential candidates and their parties agreed to seek a special prosecutor to investigate alleged bribery and other wrongdoings involving the nation's largest business group.
The liberal United New Democratic Party (UNDP), the progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP) and the environmental-friendly Creative Korea Party (CKP) submitted a bill to the Assembly Wednesday. They plan to seek its passage during the current Assembly session, which ends next week.
Kim Yong-chul, former head of Samsung's legal office, has claimed that dozens of policymakers and judicial officials, including Prosecutor General-nominee Lim Chai-jin, were regularly bribed.
Separate from the three parties' motive to have the case investigated, the GNP is mainly targeting President Roh Moo-hyun who allegedly received campaign funds and congratulatory money to mark his election in 2002 from the company.
``After the Assembly endorses the bill, a special prosecutor will start the investigation of two major allegations,'' GNP Spokesman Ahn Sang-soo told reporters.
``One is whether Samsung Group raised a slush fund and how it was spent. The other is if the fund was offered as campaign funds or lobbying money for senior public servants.''
Samsung reportedly offered money to President Roh and his rival Lee Hoi-chang in the 2002 presidential election.
Roh received extra money, after being elected president in 2002, which the company provided to congratulate his winning, according to reports.
The three parties, however, criticized the conservative GNP for its unilateral move, while vowing to approve their bill at the Assembly.
``The GNP suddenly made conditions for a special prosecutor,'' said UNDP floor leader Kim Hyo-seuk. ``It seemingly aims to obstruct the probe.''
The bill is expected to easily get parliamentary endorsement because the non-conservative parties take up a combined 150 seats in the 299-member unicameral legislature.
The minor opposition Democratic Party (DP), which has eight seats, supports the bill.
A special prosecutor, if appointed, is allowed to investigate the case for 60 days with an extension if necessary.