"Let’s Solve Issue of 223.5 Billion Won Remittance Politically"

Surrounding the secret payment of 223.5 billion won to North Korea by Hyundai Merchant Marine, the ruling and opposition camps are suggesting solutions in contrasting ways. The opposition Grand National Party (GNP) on Feb. 2 requested a thorough investigation and the punishment of those responsible for the payment while Moon Hee-sang, President-elect Roh Moo-hyun’s Cheong Wa Dae chief of staff suggested a political settlement of the issue.

According to this line, the strong candidate as presidential chief of staff has announced that it is not appropriate to make outgoing President Kim Dae-jung a subject of legal judgment. However, controversy is highly likely within political circles over whether the prosecution should take a probe into the remittance to the North and subsequently punish those responsible.

Just before a visit to the U.S., meeting with reporters at Incheon International Airport, the GNP chairman, Suh Chung-won, said, "The payoff of an astronomical amount of money to Pyongyang is a huge incident rocking the basis of this country, so there could not be a political consideration in dealing with this incident. Truth should be laid bare first through a strict probe."

He went on to say that if an investigation revealed criminal charges such as breach of the nation’s official discipline, President Kim should bear the responsibility, if necessary by resignation. He also added, "The GNP will get to the bottom by appointing an independent counsel and conducting a parliamentary probe."

Meanwhile, Mr. Moon, having a talk with reporters at the office of President-elect Roh’s transition team, insisted, "Once the secret remittance proved to have been made, now the issue is beyond the prosecution’s power. It should be solved in the National Assembly based on public consensus."

On the premise that public suspicions should be cleared, he said, "The possible impact of this issue on the inter-Korean relations should be taken into account. Particularly at a time when North Korea nuclear weapons development remains a pending issue, this should not damage national interests."

Mr. Moon continued, "Though agreement can be reached over a parliamentary probe or an independent counsel’s investigation, a high-dimensional agreement should be clinched. Agreement should be reached over how the political community will deal with issues in the unification, diplomacy, security and defense areas." His saying hinted at his willingness to have dialogue with the GNP.

Meanwhile, the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) chairman, Han Hwa-gap, noted that this is an issue requiring a political decision between the ruling and opposition parties, and that based on reason, this should be approached in a matured manner of considering national interests.

However, the GNP acting chairman, Park Hee-tae, dismissed Mr. Moon’s proposal of political settlement of this issue, saying that attempts to solve this suspicious incident smacking of a crime politically excluding the prosecution cannot lead to any solution. He called on the President-elect to make clear his position on this.

The GNP is scheduled to discuss how to push ahead with a parliamentary probe and an independent counsel investigation at a party plenary session on Feb. 4. In addition, it plans to set up a task force to investigate the MDP’s secret deal with Pyongyang and to conduct a fact-finding investigation on its own.

The MDP also plans to talk about this issue at a meeting of its supreme members at the party office in Yeouido, central Seoul, at 9: 00 on Feb. 3.

Sung-Won Park Yong-Gwan Jung swpark@donga.com yongari@donga.com