Independent counsel may probe perjury allegations

Ruling Saenuri Party floor leader Rep. Chung Woo-taik, left, whispers to Yi Wan-young, one of two lawmakers facing allegations they pressured witnesses to commit perjury last week, during a break in a National Assembly session, Tuesday, The witnesses were called to give testimony at the Assembly hearings into the corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye. Chung and Yi are Park loyalists. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

The opposition parties called on the independent counsel to investigate two ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers over allegations that they ordered witnesses to commit perjury at a National Assembly hearing last week.

The opposition also demanded that the ruling party remove the two lawmakers from the special parliamentary committee looking into the corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.

According to news reports, Reps. Yi Wan-young and Lee Man-hee, who are President Park loyalists, exerted pressure on key witnesses to deliver false testimony at a hearing, held Thursday, in order to change the unfavorable situation toward the impeached President.

“We are urging the independent counsel to probe the allegations thoroughly,” said Rep. Park Wan-joo, the deputy floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), demanding that the Saenuri Party take stern action against the lawmakers.

“We may see members of the fact-finding panel unprecedentedly becoming witnesses.”

Rep. Kim Han-jung, another DPK lawmaker, said it was unacceptable for those who committed crimes to be members of the parliamentary committee and attempt to cover up the truth.

“The independent counsel should investigate the political maneuvering and the subornation of perjury,” he said.

Minor opposition Justice Party Chairwoman Sim Sang-jeung said, “If the allegations turn out to be true, they must face questioning by the independent counsel, while being referred to the National Assembly Ethics Committee.”

The second-largest opposition People’s Party also issued a statement urging the independent probe team to investigate the accusations.

The National Assembly plans to hold another hearing, Thursday, and a large number of witnesses, including Woo Byung-woo, Park’s former senior secretary for civil affairs, and Cho Yeo-ok, an army nurse believed to have crucial information about President Park’s whereabouts during the sinking of the Sewol ferry on April 16, 2014, are expected to attend.

“If the lawmakers, suspected of commissioning perjury, question witnesses at a hearing, the people may doubt the credibility of their questions and answers. It is a matter of trust,” DPK floor leader Woo Sang-ho said, requesting their replacement.

People’s Party floor leader Park Jie-won echoed Woo’s view.

“The Saenuri lParty awmakers told witnesses to lie about key evidence at a hearing. If it is clearly confirmed, they should be replaced to secure the integrity of hearings,” Park said.

However, the two lawmakers have refused to step down, denying the allegations.