The National Assembly on Monday approved the launch of a special probe into the controversy surrounding the now-scrapped plan to build President Lee Myung-bak’s retirement home.
Lee’s son and aides had been accused of violating real estate laws and misappropriating taxpayers’ money in the purchase of a plot of land located in Naegok-dong, southern Seoul. They were cleared of charges by prosecutors.
The motion led by the main opposition Democratic United Party to open an independent counsel’s probe was approved at the Assembly’s plenary session. Of the 238 attending lawmakers, 146 voted in approval, while 64 opposed the bill and 28 abstained.
Based on the bill, the DUP will recommend two candidates for the special prosecutor’s post, one of whom will be chosen by the president.
As a way to resume parliamentary schedule, the leadership of the two parties agreed provisionally last month to form the special investigation team. The Saenuri members, however, protested that giving the DUP the authority of selection was unconstitutional.
The probe will last for 30 days following a 10-day preparatory period. The investigation can be extended once for 15 days upon request.
President Lee’s son Lee Si-hyung and six others were accused of using about 1 billion won ($884,000) of government funds to buy the land.
The project was later scrapped upon elevated public criticism of the project that involved a joint purchase of the land worth 5.4 billion won by Lee’s son and the presidential office.
The prosecutors dropped all charges raised by the DUP in June, citing the lack of evidence of any illegal activities.
By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)
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