By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Conservatives and progressives clashed again on Tuesday, one day before the presidential election.
But the clash came from the division into pros and cons regarding the leading candidate, rather than different policies by candidates and parties.
Progressive civic groups such as the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and Green Korea United launched a campaign to call for Grand National Party (GNP) presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak to step down from the election.
Members of some 730 civic groups gathered in Gwanghwamun, downtown Seoul to hold a street protest in the afternoon, claiming that Lee should take responsibility the alleged financial scam and other illegal activities. They continued the campaign in the late evening in the form of a candle protest.
They demanded that a special prosecutor, a bill of which was passed at the National Assembly on Monday, reinvestigate Lee's alleged involvement in a financial scam in 2001.
The National Association of Professors for Democratic Society also issued a statement, criticizing Lee. They argued that Lee is not qualified as a presidential candidate and should resign.
``We cannot trust the politician who was involved in the allegation and kept lying to us and making excuses. He cannot lead the country,'' the statement said.
The desperate voices came as the latest opinion polls had showed Lee is sure to win the election. But conservative groups denounced the moves by the progressives as a ruthless action targeting Lee.
The New Right Union issued a statement that the special prosecutor is a move to deal with cases involving high-ranking officials to ensure independence from the administration, but in the case of Lee, the move is abused to attack a presidential candidate from the opposition party.
They also claimed that the prosecution had already concluded that Lee was not involved in the scam, which should be respected.
``We will stop the unconstitutional move by all means if President Roh Moo-hyun will not veto the bill. We will bring it to the Constitutional Court,'' a spokesman from the group said in fear that Lee could have to face an intensive re-investigation even after the victory from the election due to the independent council.
But experts advised that voters should stop criticizing candidates and closely consider what they promise as a leader of the state to decide whom they will vote in the election.