By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) urged the National Election Commission (NEC) Friday to file a complaint against President Roh Moo-hyun to the prosecution for his criticism of its presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak.
In a speech Thursday, Roh attacked Lee's economic policies, saying they would ruin politics and that ruined politics would destroy the nation.
The GNP argued that Roh violated the Election Law, which requires the President to be politically neutral in elections.
Party spokeswoman Na Kyung-won said, ``President Roh again violated the Election Law and condemned the presidential candidate of the opposition party.'' Though Roh didn't directly mention Lee, the context was referring to him, Na added.
She said the commission should immediately look into Roh's remarks and bring it to the prosecution, otherwise, Roh's violation of the law would lead to an unfair presidential election in December.
GNP floor leader Ahn Sang-soo also said that the commission had only issued statements so far urging Roh to stay neutral whenever he made politically controversial remarks. ``It is time for the NEC to take a legal action against Roh,'' he said.
However, an NEC official said Roh's statements didn't violate the Election Law because he had not specified Lee.
``Though I need to see the whole text of Roh's speech, what I have heard from the media is that Roh just expressed his opinion on policies not on a specific candidate,'' the official said. ``It is hard to say that Roh violated the law.''
The commission has asked Roh to remain neutral and has warned him several times after he openly criticized the opposition and expressed his support for the ruling party in the presidential election.
The President also attacked the Korea National Police University in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, for its graduates taking up most of the top posts in the National Police Agency.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 62nd anniversary of Police Day, Friday, Roh said, ``It is not appropriate for graduates of a certain university to dominate an organization. The police should be careful about this.''
Roh said that an overhaul of the police agency is necessary to root out factionalism.
The President criticized the university for taking collective action to get rid of Commissioner General Lee Taek-soon in August.
Hwang Un-ha, a senior police officer who belongs to a group of first graduates of the university, led the revolt against Lee for his mishandling of the case against Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn, who organized a violent attack.
Roh warned that there should not be a revolt against senior officers in the police where their subordinates are required to show a high level of obedience.