Reform in "Teach-a-lesson" Way Will Not Be Conducted

With respect to allegations of secret transfer of money to North Korea, "the ruling Millennium Democratic Party’s rejection of the appointment of a special prosecutor gave the opposition Grand National Party a cause for its insistence on it," president-elect Roh Moo-hyun said. "Somebody should testify before the National Assembly with a serious attitude, and then the National Assembly should have a debate on whether to appoint a special prosecutor."

He added, "After that, someone should come out and show their willingness to take responsibility. When those responsible for that say, `I’ll take punishment,` people feel like reducing the punishment."

This is what he said in an interview with "Ohmynews," an Internet-based newspaper on Feb. 22.

Regarding the prosecution’s ongoing investigation into SK Group, the president-elect said, "The next day morning I found that on television. A reform carried out by a certain political intention or political planning cannot succeed. I don’t want to achieve reform with an intention to `teach a hard lesson.`" He went on to say that prosecutors should make an investigation according to their conviction, not mindful of the top, but that jumping on the bandwagon and planning a lot of investigations at once is not desirable.

He also said that he would work based on principles, severing the cozy relationship between the government and the press and that when faced with a bad press, he would ask for correction or withdrawal in a legal and logical manner.

Mr. Roh said that within one or two months of his inauguration he would prohibit government ministries from subscribing to "newsstand newspapers," copies of first editions, which are delivered to newsstands on the evening of the day before and negotiating with newspaper companies when unfavorable reports comes up. And he continued, "When a president struggles to reform the press through exercise of public power, it could lead to abuse of power. Excessive financial restraints, tax probes, or pressuring through conducting thorough investigations in secret are not only illegal but have no effect."

Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com