Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Opposition heavyweights clash over 2000 summit
By Yi Whan-woo
The two heavyweight contestants for the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy’s (NPAD) chairmanship next month are clashing over the alleged cash-for-summit involving the late President Kim Dae-jung.
In a TV debate appearance this month, Reps. Moon Jae-in and Park Jie-won differed over who was behind the special 2003 investigation into the scandal.
The debate took place in Gwangju, a stronghold of the opposition.
Aired by Munwha Broadcasting Corporation’s Gwangju station, the debate also came amid escalating tension between Moon and Park in the lead up to the chairmanship election on Feb. 8. The successful candidate will serve for the next two years.
Moon, who served as chief of staff for late President Roh Moo-hyun, is believed to lead the pro-Roh faction within the party.
Park was the presidential chief of staff for Kim, Roh’s predecessor.
The two late presidents have their respective followers within the NPAD although they both died in 2009.
On Monday, Park held Moon, then Roh’s aide in charge of civil affairs, responsible for failing to prevent then-President Roh from appointing a special counsel to investigate into the case.
The investigation was meant to unveil whether the Kim administration secretly paid $450 million in cash to North Korea as part of its request for the historic summit between the two Koreas in June 2000.
Park launched a salvo at Moon, claiming he urged Roh to make a decision against him amid the then-main opposition Grand National Party’s growing calls to launch the probe.
Park asserted that late President Kim suffered a huge setback due to the special investigation. “I also had to get eye surgery many times in the wake of the probe into the case.”
Moon criticized Park Monday, saying his arguments are “slanderous.” Moon instead said the two late Presidents “shared the same spirit of democracy.”
Both the Kim and Roh administrations pursued reconciliatory policies toward North Korea, including the Kim-initiated “Sunshine Policy” of engagement with the North.
Amid growing criticism over the alleged cash-for-summit, the Roh government carried out the probe, dealing a serious blow to Kim.