[Editorial] NK Diplomacy Scandal Should Be Solved Once and For All

No previous investigations have been conducted into the secret checkbook diplomacy scandal of the Kim Dae Jung administration, unfolding a tough road ahead for the recently appointed independent counsel. The new administration has to start from scratch.

During the Kim Dae Jung administration, another special counsel might have been able to produce results. They just would have had to review investigation records from the prosecution, corrected the application of the laws or unearthed hidden files. But this time, the independent counsel has to do everything by itself. Actually, the counsel itself was first to look into the scandal involving the former president’s secret aid to the North Korean regime. Furthermore, it has very limited available resources, and has to stop the investigation after a certain period of time under the law. Thus, cooperation from government agencies will absolutely determine the success of the investigation.

Even worse for the counsel, politicians have not agreed as to the scope and time of the investigation. Therefore, all we have now are independent counsel Song Doo-hwan and his associate counsel.

Both parties should no longer delay the probe. They need to revise parts of the Independent Counsel Act amended prior to President Roh’s signing the act into law. No more tug of war. Politicians should also keep in mind the danger of shortening the counsel’s term too much, which may push the investigative team further against the wall.

If the independent counsel becomes unable to thoroughly investigate the scandal, people will not see any point in politicians’ agreement in amending the act. The Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea (BAIK) has been looking into the secret wiring scandal for some time. Consequently, BAIK, along with other organizations such as the Financial Supervisory Service and Foreign Exchange Bank, must have accumulated a considerable amount of relevant documents. These organizations should do whatever they can to assist the counsel. The prosecution as well, which waived its right to look into the matter, should assist the team by dispatching top-notch prosecutors to make sure the investigation comes to fruition.

If the administration and the ruling party fail to address the matter wholeheartedly, South Koreans will think twice of President Roh’s decision of not vetoing the act. They might think that the administration did not veto the bill for fear of opposition party’s disapproval of the Prime Minister-designate, whose confirmation was pending at that time.

If, due to any reason, the independent counsel is not able to come up with persuasive results, the nation will become engulfed in a war of attrition once again. For all parties involved and for the whole country, the truth should come out this time.