Key suspects absent at hearings
Assembly fails to get Choi Soon-sil onto witness stand
By Jung Min-ho
Jang Si-ho, niece of President Park Geun-hye’s confidant Choi Soon-sil, speaks during the National Assembly hearing over the influence-peddling scandal involving the Choi family, after receiving a subpoena from the Assembly for her earlier decision not to participate, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han
The National Assembly issued subpoenas to question 11 key suspects in the Choi Soon-sil scandal, Wednesday, after they refused to cooperate without valid reasons.
Of the 11 figures, however, only one responded to the order and attended the Assembly’s hearing, raising doubts over the effectiveness of the non-binding measure.
Rep. Kim Sung-tae of the Saenuri Party, head of the Assembly’s special investigation committee into the scandal involving President Park Geun-hye’s confidant, issued the subpoenas to bring Choi and 10 other people to the second round of live broadcast hearings.
Among those who refused to testify were Choi, who allegedly pulled strings behind the President, and former presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo, who is under suspicion of intentionally disregarding her illegal activities at Cheong Wa Dae.
Only Jang Si-ho, Choi’s niece, who is under suspicion of embezzlement and other crimes, attended the hearing.
No coercive measures are available with subpoenas, unlike arrest warrants, to force people to show up. If they continue to ignore the written orders, there is no way for them to be questioned in front of the cameras.
“Choi is missing in the investigation of the scandal involving her,” Kim said. “She and the other suspects are now hiding behind the name of human rights. Their ignorant behavior shows what kind of people they really are.”
People who refuse to accept subpoenas without a proper reason can, in theory, be sentenced to up to five years in prison for contempt of parliament. But there has never been such a case since the law was promulgated in 1988.
Choi, who has been detained for more than a month, gave the excuse that she is suffering from a panic disorder.
However, according to Rep. Kim Kyung-jin of the People’s Party, Choi has not requested any medications in prison.
There is another loophole in the law regarding a parliamentary investigation. If a person does not receive the subpoena in the first place, they are not subject to any punishment. Woo, a former prosecutor who is well-aware of this fact, has been “missing” with his family since he was questioned about his alleged role in the scandal earlier this month.
Kim criticized Woo for using his knowledge of the law to dodge the subpoena.
Angered by Woo’s act, Rep. Kim Kwan-young of the People’s Party has proposed a bill to prevent attempts to intentionally avoid receiving subpoenas. According to the bill, if the location of the suspect is unclear, the Assembly can publish the subpoena in its gazette, and on bulletin boards and websites for a week before filing a lawsuit for contempt of parliament.
Woo has been accused of intentionally ignoring Choi’s illegal activities involving high-ranking government officials when he served as presidential secretary for civil affairs from May 2014 to this October.
Meanwhile, other key suspects, including Kim Ki-choon, a former presidential chief of staff; Kim Chong, a former vice culture minister; and Cha Eun-taek, the visual director for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, have been questioned by lawmakers.