Lee Nods to Independent Counsel Probe

Presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak of the Grand National Party (GNP) said on Sunday night that he will accept a parliamentary motion to name a special prosecutor to investigate a financial fraud implicating him if the National Assembly passes the motion today.

Lee's acceptance is an about face of the GNP's opposition to the independent counsel because the prosecution already concluded in early December that he was not involved in the scam.

His remark came several hours after President Roh Moo-hyun ordered the justice minister to consider how to reinvestigate the scam to clear up public skepticism, even though the prosecution had concluded the case.