By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
A group of senior lawmakers of the Grand National Party (GNP) urged former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak to withdraw legal action taken against close aides of his rival Park Geun-hye.
GNP leaders expressed worries that the legal action is highly likely to create a hostile campaign environment for the two contenders as they believe the judiciary authorities are not free from political influence.
The warning from the GNP leaders, however, seemed to go in vain as Lee's camp showed little sign of withdrawing its lawsuits.
Lee's camp rejected the calls. It said the former Seoul mayor is not the plaintiff of the cases and no significant changes have been made so far in the situation.
``Therefore, we are not in a position to request the plaintiffs__ a private business and Lee's brother-in-law Kim Jae-jung__ to withdraw legal actions,'' said a spokesperson of the former Seoul mayor.
Lee's camp urged the prosecutors' office to conduct independent and political influence-free investigation over the three cases.
Senior lawmakers, however, said the belief that the judicial body will be able to conduct an independent probe is no more than an illusion.
They warned that Lee will face self-destructive consequences if the legal action is not stopped.
``The impact of the prosecutors' office on the primaries and presidential election will be even more greater than before as the judicial authorities are now entitled to handle politically sensitive cases,'' said Rep. Ahn Sang-soo.
Ahn pointed out that the legal action will only create a no-win situation for the two contenders as well as the GNP because the investigation activities of prosecutors' office will be under tight political influence.
He suggested that Lee's camp had better have an in-house watchdog handle the cases.
A former prosecutor, Ahn said if Lee's camp withdraws the complaints, the prosecutors' office will not be entitled to continue the investigation as the three cases are related to defamation.
As the pro-government party sued Lee Monday for alleged defamation of Rep. Kim Hyuk-kyu of the Uri Party, the investigation into a property case will continue even if Lee's camp withdraws their suits.
Controversy over Lee's properties has become a hot button as the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office has assigned the three cases to a special unit.
Depending on the investigation results, the probe over the leading presidential hopeful's real estate is highly likely to give profound impacts on the Dec. 19 presidential race.
Prosecutors have begun to probe three separate legal cases after the former Seoul mayor's brother-in-law, his brother and the main opposition GNP filed lawsuits.
Two cases were brought by Lee's brother-in-law and DAS, a company owned by Lee's brother, and the two plaintiffs said close aides of Park Geun-hye are involved in defaming the frontrunner candidate Lee.
The GNP took a legal action against five lawmakers of the Uri Party for their alleged involvement in the leak of classified information about Lee.