A two-year-old scandal is back to haunt President Lee Myung-bak
and his ruling Saenuri Party just in time for a key election that will shape the
nation’s political landscape for years to come.
The 2010 scandal entailing the illegal surveillance of a businessman by officials at the Prime Minister’s Office was brought back into the spotlight by a whistleblower who claimed that the Presidential Office of Cheong Wa Dae was directly involved in the illegal operation and its cover-up.
Opposition parties are now in full-fledged attack mode against Lee and the Saenuri Party, aiming to capitalize on the scandal in the parliamentary elections next month.
“The administration of President Lee and his Saenuri Party has been blamed for so many things. But the ongoing scandal is the epitome of them all,” Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic United Party, said in a meeting of party leaders Wednesday.
“The April 11 parliamentary elections will be a chance to deliver the public’s verdict on Lee and Saenuri for their incompetence and corruption.”
Calling the case “President Lee’s Watergate,” the DUP demanded truth from the president and his apology.
The surveillance scandal erupted in 2010, entailing the illegal spying by officials at the PMO on a businessman who posted video clips critical of President Lee on his blog in 2008. The PMO officials destroyed their computers before investigators searched their office.
The investigation was closed with the indictment of seven officials, including Jang Jin-soo, now the whistleblower, despite speculation that officials in the presidential office were involved. Jang was sentenced to eight months in jail, suspended for two years, for destruction of evidence.
The heightened antagonism came as the prosecutors questioned Jang for a second day on Wednesday on a series of revelations that he made about the presidential office’s role in the 2008 case and its cover-up.
Jang will submit to investigators key evidence implicating three former presidential aides ― Lee Young-ho, Choi Jong-seok and Jang Seok-myeong ― his attorney said.
The attorney also said Jang has evidence implicating more senior presidential aides, but is undecided over whether to disclose it.
A day earlier, one of the three former Cheong Wa Dae officials implicated by Jang called a press conference, claiming that he was the mastermind of the scheme.
In a press conference, an excited Lee Young-ho, who in 2008 was the president’s secretary on labor affairs, bellowed, shed tears and admitted to the charges that he had been cleared of by the prosecution in the 2010 investigation.
“I ordered him (Jang) to destroy the computers. I did. And I will take all due responsibility,” he told journalists. He also admitted to having offered 20 million won to Jang, but claimed that it was purely out of sympathy and not to keep his mouth shut as claimed by Jang.
Rep. Park Jie-won, another DUP leader, raised suspicions that the president may have been aware of the illegal operation.
“Lee Young-ho claimed that he was the person behind it, but a very few would buy it,” he said. “I believe that such a scheme could not have been possible to pull off by Cheong Wa Dae officials, without directly reporting to the president.”
The politician also criticized the ruling party’s silence on the matter.
“Rep. Park Geun-hye should not try to avoid this ― a matter of grave importance ― by keeping silent,” he said, referring to the chairwoman of the Saenuri.
By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldm.com)
The 2010 scandal entailing the illegal surveillance of a businessman by officials at the Prime Minister’s Office was brought back into the spotlight by a whistleblower who claimed that the Presidential Office of Cheong Wa Dae was directly involved in the illegal operation and its cover-up.
Opposition parties are now in full-fledged attack mode against Lee and the Saenuri Party, aiming to capitalize on the scandal in the parliamentary elections next month.
“The administration of President Lee and his Saenuri Party has been blamed for so many things. But the ongoing scandal is the epitome of them all,” Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic United Party, said in a meeting of party leaders Wednesday.
“The April 11 parliamentary elections will be a chance to deliver the public’s verdict on Lee and Saenuri for their incompetence and corruption.”
Calling the case “President Lee’s Watergate,” the DUP demanded truth from the president and his apology.
The surveillance scandal erupted in 2010, entailing the illegal spying by officials at the PMO on a businessman who posted video clips critical of President Lee on his blog in 2008. The PMO officials destroyed their computers before investigators searched their office.
The investigation was closed with the indictment of seven officials, including Jang Jin-soo, now the whistleblower, despite speculation that officials in the presidential office were involved. Jang was sentenced to eight months in jail, suspended for two years, for destruction of evidence.
The heightened antagonism came as the prosecutors questioned Jang for a second day on Wednesday on a series of revelations that he made about the presidential office’s role in the 2008 case and its cover-up.
Jang will submit to investigators key evidence implicating three former presidential aides ― Lee Young-ho, Choi Jong-seok and Jang Seok-myeong ― his attorney said.
The attorney also said Jang has evidence implicating more senior presidential aides, but is undecided over whether to disclose it.
A day earlier, one of the three former Cheong Wa Dae officials implicated by Jang called a press conference, claiming that he was the mastermind of the scheme.
In a press conference, an excited Lee Young-ho, who in 2008 was the president’s secretary on labor affairs, bellowed, shed tears and admitted to the charges that he had been cleared of by the prosecution in the 2010 investigation.
“I ordered him (Jang) to destroy the computers. I did. And I will take all due responsibility,” he told journalists. He also admitted to having offered 20 million won to Jang, but claimed that it was purely out of sympathy and not to keep his mouth shut as claimed by Jang.
Rep. Park Jie-won, another DUP leader, raised suspicions that the president may have been aware of the illegal operation.
“Lee Young-ho claimed that he was the person behind it, but a very few would buy it,” he said. “I believe that such a scheme could not have been possible to pull off by Cheong Wa Dae officials, without directly reporting to the president.”
The politician also criticized the ruling party’s silence on the matter.
“Rep. Park Geun-hye should not try to avoid this ― a matter of grave importance ― by keeping silent,” he said, referring to the chairwoman of the Saenuri.
By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldm.com)
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