Kim’s Tape Was Not On Hand

The Special Division 1 within the Seoul District Public Prosecutors’ Office on August 5th subpoenaed and investigated Kim Dae-up who has alleged that Candidate Lee’s wife Han In-ok had played a role in exempting her sons from military service.

The prosecution focused on several allegations: △whether or not Mrs. Han played any role at all and gave bribery; △whether or not the records on her sons were manipulated and/or shredded; and △what was discussed in the task force meeting dealing with the allegations right before the ’97 Presidential Election.

On the GNP’s allegation of the biased investigation, the Prosecutors’ Office just commented, “It is a matter where partisan interests are sharply at stake. In addition, criminal complaints have been filed. Thus, other than through the official briefings, no one will have any another source of information.”

Kim arrived at the Seoul District Office at around 3:00 p.m. He, however, did not bring with him the tape that, he has alleged, recorded the conversation among the people involved in the bribery and evasion manipulation. He has argued that the tape would prove the truth of all of his allegations.

He said, “Today, I’ve brought material evidence other than the tape. Depending on the progress of the investigation, I will decide whether to submit the tape after consulting my lawyer.”

But the Prosecutors’ Office considers obtaining the tape a must to get the bottom of the allegations. It will have Kim submit the tape in the near future and then put it into thorough analysis.

In the meanwhile, the Prosecutors’ Office has received all the medical records on candidate Lee’s sons from Military Manpower Administration (MMA) on 5th and has been reviewing them to determine the genuineness thereof.

The Prosecution also plans to some GNP congressmen and Kim Kil-boo, the former head of the MMA, once their reviewing produces any results. All of them are suspected of having participated in the meeting that was allegedly held to deal with the evasion allegation.

On his way to the Prosecutors’ Office, Kim alleged, “Among the GNP’s delegation which visited the Attorney General’s Office in protest, one was the target of ’98 investigation of the evasion allegation. Another delegate participated in the meeting dealing with the allegation, and yet another has something with a military medical officer suspected of his involvement in this case.”

myzodan@donga.com