Hong’s claim deals further blow to ruling party

By Chung Min-uck

The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) plunged deeper into turmoil Tuesday as a former party chairman came out with new allegations concerning bribery in the party’s leadership election.

“There have been transactions of illegal money envelopes during the GNP’s party convention in 2008 and 2010 as it was all about getting the support from the party’s regional council chiefs who each oversee 25 to 30 delegates,” said Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, former GNP chairman, during an interview with broadcaster JTBC, Monday.

The fourth-term-lawmaker’s remark will likely broaden the spectrum of the prosecutor’s investigation into the GNP’s bribery scandal, creating further an unfavorable outlook for the ruling party ahead of the general elections in April.

Last week, Rep. Koh Seung-duk of the GNP revealed a vote-buying scandal during the party’s 2008 leadership election, tarnishing its image as a corrupt and pro-rich party. Rep. Koh named former party chairman and incumbent National Assembly speaker Park Hee-tae as the perpetrator who tried to bribe him for a vote. On Monday, the first-term-lawmaker also indicated that more party members could have been bribed by the former party chairman.

The GNP’s interim leadership on Monday called for a thorough prosecution probe into any possible bribery case involving its party members. It also asked the suspects to take responsibility even before the results of the investigation are announced.

Besides Rep. Hong, first-term-lawmaker Rep. Cho Jeon-hyeok earlier also said there were vote-buying incidents in the 2010 leadership race.

Rep. Hong came second in the leadership race in July 2010, losing to Rep. Ahn Sang-soo. The following year, Rep. Hong won the party chairmanship.

In line with the allegations, prosecutors are planning to start investigations into similar cash-for-vote cases conducted during the period.

Rep. Hong in Monday’s interview explained that the high cost of campaign promotions is the reason why candidates offer illegal money to heads of regional councils.

“During the 2011 party leadership race, sending one message to 220,000 electoral colleges cost 5 to 6 million won. So I was only able to send altogether four messages during the campaign. It will cost the Democratic United Party 15 million won to send one message as there are 800,000 electorate colleges. But it is still better. If the number of electorate colleges grows, there is no use of sticking to the regional council heads,” said Rep. Hong.

To break the longstanding practices, the GNP is considering entrusting the party convention to the National Election Commission to govern the whole party election process.

The GNP is also planning to discuss the issue with the main opposition Democratic United Party, also hit by similar cash-for-vote scandal, to amend the related Political Fund Law for the implementation of the plan.

Meanwhile, In Myung-jin, a pastor at Galilee Church in Seoul and former chairman of the GNP’s ethics committee, said recently that “there are rumors that money was involved even in the GNP’s nomination process of proportional representatives.”

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