Assembly speaker returns today to face investigation

By Na Jeong-ju

National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae is expected to be summoned over the growing cash-for-votes scandal after returning home today from an 11-day trip to four Asian nations.

Park, a six-term lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) and confidant to President Lee Myung-bak, is coming under mounting pressure to resign following allegations that he delivered money through aides to fellow lawmakers during the party’s leadership race in 2008.

Park was elected chairman in a convention in July that year and remained in the post until September 2009. Park’s office has denied the bribery allegations. The 74-year-old prosecutor-turned-lawmaker told reporters last week that he would speak about the suspicions after his return.

Analysts say his resignation from the position of parliamentary speaker appears to be a matter of time. Park’s aides refused to comment on the growing demand for his resignation.

Prosecutors may call Park in soon. On Monday, the prosecution detained Ahn Byung-yong, a close aide to Park, for delivering money to GNP members at local campaign offices during the 2008 race. Ahn was one of the key campaigners for Park.

Park’s chief policy secretary, Cho Jung-man, and Park’s former secretary Ko Myung-jin also face arrest for their alleged involvement in the vote-buying scandal. Cho has worked for Park for the past 20 years and served as a chief financial manager during the leadership race.

The investigation is based on revelations by GNP lawmaker Koh Seung-duk that Park attempted to bribe him ahead of the election. In a press conference last week, Koh said his secretary received a yellow-colored envelope containing 3 million won ($2,600) and Park’s name card from one of his campaigners. He was carrying a large paper bag containing a bunch of envelopes, suggesting that many other GNP members might have received money from Park, according to Koh.

Questions are arising on the source of the money. Some speculate that it was the remnants of campaign funds used during the 2007 presidential race. Others say Park might have taken illegal political donations from businesses.