Cheong Wa Dae in hot water as cellphone scandal escalates

By Na Jeong-ju

The leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) called for an investigation by an independent counsel to reveal the truth behind the government’s illegal surveillance of citizens, Friday, alleging that Cheong Wa Dae masterminded the plot to monitor and “find fault” with political opponents.

The suggestion came amid growing suspicions that some officials from the Prime Minister’s Office used mobile phones registered under borrowed names in orchestrating such operations.

The DP says a Cheong Wa Dae official, identified only by his surname Choi, supplied the, a clue showing the presidential office was behind the illegal surveillance.

“This case reminds me of the Watergate wiretapping scandal, which led to the resignation of then-U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1974,” DP Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu said during a party meeting.

“The use of illegal phones to control and discuss the monitoring of citizens critical of the Lee Myung-bak administration violated their human rights. It’s a serious crime. What’s more terrible is that the government is trying to cover up the case instead of telling the truth.”

Following a month-long investigation last year, the prosecution indicted only seven low-ranking civil servants for the illegal monitoring.

Justice Minister Lee Kwi-nam said the case had been already concluded.

“We did everything we can do. There are no more people we can take to court,” Lee said Friday, answering a question from a lawmaker during an interpellation session at the National Assembly.

Sohn urged the prosecution to reopen an investigation into the scandal, or his party will push for a probe by an independent counsel. He also proposed a separate examination by the Assembly.

Rep. Ahn Sang-soo, chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, said he doesn’t oppose the reinvestigation by prosecutors, but ruled out a probe by an independent counsel.

The prosecution has come under fire for “going easy” on the scandal.

According to the liberal party, prosecutors failed to submit evidence regarding the use of the illegal phones to the court when it indicted the concerned officials in an apparent attempt to cover up Cheong Wa Dae’s involvement in the case.

On Wednesday, Rep. Nam Kyung-pil of the GNP, who has claimed that he and his family members were monitored by the officials, said the prosecution had lost the public’s trust in its handling of the case.

The presidential office has denied its involvement in the illegal surveillance.

국무총리실의 민간인 사찰과 관련, 청와대가 대포폰을 지급했다는 민주당의 주장에 여권이 반박하면서 정치권이 소용돌이 치고 있다.

민주당 손학규 대표는 월요일 영등포 당사에서 열린 확대간부회의에서 “문제의 본질은 청와대가 직접 민간인 사찰을 주도하고 은폐하려 했다는 사실”이라고 운을 뗀 후, “워터게이트 스캔들이 터졌을 때 사건을 은폐한 미국 닉슨 전 대통령은 사임했다”며 정부차원의 재조사와 국회차원의 특검과 국정조사를 요구했다.

반면, 한나라당은 민간인 사찰 사건의 재수사 가능성이 있음을 시사하는 한편 민주당이 사실관계에 맞지 않는 주장으로 정치공세를 벌이고 있다고 반박했다.