Reckless Charges
Politically-Motivated Case Deals Blow to Prosecution
Law enforcement authorities should not neglect their campaign against corruption under any circumstances because it is one of the most challenging tasks of ensuring social justice. But, Friday's court ruling on a bribery case involving former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook shows the prosecution's poor performance. It suffered a humiliating defeat as a Seoul district court found Han not guilty of bribery charges.
On the other hand, the ruling is a victory for Han who has criticized the prosecution for bringing false charges against her without solid evidence. The decision will help her regain her moral reputation that has been severely bruised by the reckless charges against her. We believe the court made the ruling based on the Constitution and laws, under which no innocent people cannot fall prey to wrong charges or miscarriages of justice.
The problem with the prosecution was its sole reliance on the testimony by Kwak Young-wook, a former CEO of Korea Express. Kwak, who was charged with embezzlement, claimed that he gave $50,000 as a bribe to Han at the Prime Minister's Office in December 2006 to ask her to have him appointed as the chief of the state-run Korea Coal Corp.
Without tracing the flow of the alleged bribe and presenting any evidence proving it, the prosecution rushed to indict Han last December. The high-profile case touched off political bickering between the governing Grand National Party and the main opposition Democratic Party to which Han belongs. The prosecution cannot avoid criticism for conducting a politically-motivated investigation against Han who is favored to run for mayor of Seoul in the upcoming June 2 local elections.
In conclusion, the court turned down the charges against Han, saying that Kwak's allegations were not reliable. It said in the ruling, ``Kwak's testimony against Han can hardly be trusted from the perspective of its rationality, objectivity and consistency as well as his personality.'' The prosecution should keep in mind the ruling and no longer bring charges against any suspect without sufficient evidence. It should have been more careful and elaborate to indict such a political heavyweight like Han.
Besides, the prosecution was also accused of launching a new investigation against Han one day before the ruling over allegations that two construction companies offered illegal political funds to her during her tenure as prime minister. The move was certainly aimed at putting pressure on the trial.
A lesson to be drawn from the case is that the law enforcement agency should do more to collect corroborated evidence before indicting any suspect. Most of all, the prosecution must maintain political neutrality and independence in order not to be swayed by political power. Only then can it win a war on corruption and regain public confidence in the rule of law and the justice system.