Former Prime Minister Fighting Back
By Oh Young-jin
Staff Reporter
Han Myoung-sook, a former prime minister under the late President Roh Moo-hyun, was the first woman to hold that post. The pinnacle of her career came after serving as minister of environment, and gender equality as well as multiple terms as a lawmaker at the National Assembly.
The 65-year-old is perhaps well remembered for her eulogy at the state funeral for Roh Moo-hyun. Her voice rose in a crescendo during the funeral at Gyeongbok Palace, downtown Seoul, holding the listeners captive.
Now, Han is on a mission of a different sort; clearing her name.
A vernacular newspaper quoted an unnamed prosecutor as saying that Han received bribes from Kwak Young-woo, former president of Korea Express, a goods delivery firm now at the center of a scandal over allegations that its executives siphoned off corporate funds.
She was suspected of taking tens of thousands of dollars from Kwak, who sought to get a top job at a subsidiary of the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO).
"I have not received even a cent," she declared during a news conference held at the foundation named after the late Roh, located in Mapo, western Seoul, Monday.
"The reports are not true," she continued. "I have not lived my life like that. I am saying this because I want to unburden people from the unfounded reports damaging my integrity."
On her Web site, she pledged to take legal action against what she believes is a smear campaign.
The Roh foundation was set up by about 60 members of the late President's inner circle. They are on the frontline of an organized effort to beat back what they think is a systematic operation to politically persecute those who were close to him.
The main opposition Democratic Party is also supporting this effort, adopting a resolution condemning the government for its targeted campaign against the party. Han is currently a member of the DP's steering committee.
Interestingly enough, Han's individual effort to clear her name as well as that of her colleagues is highly political, considering she is one of the few candidates the opposition camp can put up for the post of Seoul mayor in local elections scheduled for June.
At the moment, the incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon is looked at as a shoo-in but, considering the mercurial nature of public opinion, the election landscape could change with Han participating.
The latest case is also seen as a wakeup for Han in terms of her possible bid for the post.
At one point, she was quoted as saying, "I want to devote myself to affairs related to the Roh foundation."
Her remarks were taken by some as her intention not to run for the job. But allegations about her being on the take are apparently rekindling her desire to return to the political stage, although, so far, it is not Han but those close to her who are doing the talking.