Did spy agency budget go into campaigning?

The Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) and Grand National Party (GNP) Thursday locked horns over allegations that some money in the control of the former Agency for National Security Planning (NSP) was funneled into the 1996 National Assembly election campaign.

MDP spokesman Kim Young-Hwan called on the prosecution to find out whether state budget allocated to the spy agency for use in counter-intelligence operations was diverted for the purpose of electioneering. He said such an act would be tantamount to subverting the foundation of state and aiding the enemy, adding that it was worse than earlier scandals involving attempts to invite North Korean armed provocations or misuse tax funds in efforts to affect election outcomes.

Kim demanded that GNP leader Lee Hoi-Chang, who was chief campaign manager of the New Korea Party (predecessor of the GNP), should make it clear whether he knew of the fact that 100 billion won from dubious sources was given to his party and then distributed among the hundreds of candidates running under the GNP banner.

Alleging that the revelation of the prosecution inquiry into the allegations was timed to coincide with the controversial defection of three ruling party lawmakers to the United Liberal Democrats (ULD), the opposition party expressed misgivings about the MDP's alleged attempts to make political capital out of the disclosure to turn the tables in its favor.

GNP spokesman Kwon Chul-Hyeon said that the MDP's use of "smear tactics" against the opposition were aimed at discrediting the entire political community and dividing the opposition camp. He claimed the long-term aim was to forge a large-scale political realignment.

Dignity has disappeared from politics, he said, and only the meanness and nastiness of partisan maneuvering remain.

Kwon said the prosecution's expression of confidence that it could complete its probe in about a fortnight was stage-managed in conjunction with the leaders of the ruling camp in order to influence the direction of the investigation and the timing of an announcement of the results. Prosecutors would resort to using all means, both fair and foul, to finish off the investigation, he said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Park Chong-Wung, acting spokesman for former President Kim Young-Sam, said the ongoing probe was a clear case of political vengeance and that it cannot be tolerated. He said President Kim Dae-Jung's alleged slush fund should be investigated before any inquiries into the political funds of other parties.