By Na Jeong-ju
University students are throwing their weight behind a call for a thorough investigation into the “DDoS scandal,” in which a number of ruling camp staffers appear to have been deeply involved.
The student council of Korea University (KU), the alma mater of President Lee Myung-bak, will hold a press conference in downtown Seoul Thursday to demand “sincere explanations” from Cheong Wa Dae about the case.
The student council of Yonsei University is considering joining hands with the KU students to step up pressure on the presidential office.
There are some other schools that have shown willingness to take part in the movement. Student leaders at Seoul National University (SNU) and Sookmyung Women’s University are gathering opinions from schoolmates before deciding on whether to take collective action regarding the case.
“The cyber attack on the websites of the National Election Commission and an opposition candidate during the Oct. 26 by-elections is an unforgivable crime in a democratic society. It has shaken the country’s foundation,” said Park Jong-chan, head of KU’s student council.
“Revelations show a number of people from the governing camp collaborated for the attack. We are taking action to call for a thorough and fair probe and arouse greater public interest in the case.”
Park expressed disappointment over the “poor” media coverage of the scandal, saying it is being overshadowed by the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
On Monday, SNU’s student council revealed a draft statement in which it strongly denounced Cheong Wa Dae’s dubious handling of the scandal and urged President Lee to speak to the public.
The council is collecting signatures from SNU students to formally issue a statement early next month.
The action came amid growing public suspicions about the scandal.
Police have been under fire for their alleged cover-up of the involvement of Cheong Wa Dae staffers as well as ruling party lawmakers in the website attack.
They didn’t even reveal suspicious financial deals between key suspects when they announced the interim result of the investigation on Dec. 9.
The prosecution is now looking into the case, but it is not to be trusted either, one student leader said.
On Wednesday, the ruling Grand National Party, now being led by President Lee’s archrival Park Geun-hye, said it will ask Rep. Choi Gu-sik to leave the party voluntarily as one of his aides was found to have been involved in the website attack.
It accepted the opposition’s demand last week that an independent counsel be created to look into the website attack, “if the prosecution’s probe fails to uncover the truth.”