ID :
26458
Fri, 10/24/2008 - 23:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/26458
The shortlink copeid
Former Pres. Kim Dae-jung sues ruling party lawmaker for defamation
SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Yonhap) -- Former President and Nobel Peace laureate Kim Dae-jung
sued a ruling party lawmaker for defamation on Friday, saying the lawmaker's
"false" slush fund allegations against him amounts to a crime exceeding his legal
immunity.
Joo Seong-young of the Grand National Party raised the allegations in a
parliamentary audit session and a radio interview this week, presenting a copy of
what he claimed to be the certificate of deposit worth 10 billion won (US$7
million) that was allegedly handed over to Kim.
The lawmaker said he acquired the copy from the prosecution but did not elaborate
on where the money came from or when the CD was issued.
Joo "presented false statements and made an irresponsible accusation without
carefully reviewing and collecting concrete evidence over the claims," Kim said
in the complaint submitted to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, calling for a
"thorough investigation and strict punishment."
Joo had also presented a copy of what he said was a report by the U.S. Federal
Bureau of Investigation saying hundreds of millions of dollars of Kim's money had
streamed into Wall Street.
Even if Joo may be immune from legal action for his statement at the
parliamentary audit, the allegations he made in a radio interview lie outside the
boundary of his legal immunity, Kim said.
Liberals say the allegations are a groundless slander aimed at smearing the
former president amid the conservative Lee Myung-bak government's rock-bottom
popularity.
"Because the Lee Myung-bak government is governing badly, the infectious disease
of undermining the former president spreads again," Rep. Park Jie-won, a
long-time aide to Kim who served as culture minister from 1999 to 2000, said.
If prosecutors had possessed concrete evidence of Kim's slush funds, they would
have already launched an investigation, he said, and leaking alleged evidence to
a third party amounts to illegal behavior.
It is not the first time slush fund allegations erupted against Kim. Some local
media accused him of taking 300 billion won in bribery but later backtracked with
an apology.
Oh Se-in, the prosecutors' office spokesman, said the prosecution "will
investigate the case according to the law and legal principles."
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
sued a ruling party lawmaker for defamation on Friday, saying the lawmaker's
"false" slush fund allegations against him amounts to a crime exceeding his legal
immunity.
Joo Seong-young of the Grand National Party raised the allegations in a
parliamentary audit session and a radio interview this week, presenting a copy of
what he claimed to be the certificate of deposit worth 10 billion won (US$7
million) that was allegedly handed over to Kim.
The lawmaker said he acquired the copy from the prosecution but did not elaborate
on where the money came from or when the CD was issued.
Joo "presented false statements and made an irresponsible accusation without
carefully reviewing and collecting concrete evidence over the claims," Kim said
in the complaint submitted to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, calling for a
"thorough investigation and strict punishment."
Joo had also presented a copy of what he said was a report by the U.S. Federal
Bureau of Investigation saying hundreds of millions of dollars of Kim's money had
streamed into Wall Street.
Even if Joo may be immune from legal action for his statement at the
parliamentary audit, the allegations he made in a radio interview lie outside the
boundary of his legal immunity, Kim said.
Liberals say the allegations are a groundless slander aimed at smearing the
former president amid the conservative Lee Myung-bak government's rock-bottom
popularity.
"Because the Lee Myung-bak government is governing badly, the infectious disease
of undermining the former president spreads again," Rep. Park Jie-won, a
long-time aide to Kim who served as culture minister from 1999 to 2000, said.
If prosecutors had possessed concrete evidence of Kim's slush funds, they would
have already launched an investigation, he said, and leaking alleged evidence to
a third party amounts to illegal behavior.
It is not the first time slush fund allegations erupted against Kim. Some local
media accused him of taking 300 billion won in bribery but later backtracked with
an apology.
Oh Se-in, the prosecutors' office spokesman, said the prosecution "will
investigate the case according to the law and legal principles."
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
