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Kim Moo-sung |
The prosecution on Wednesday questioned ruling party heavyweight Rep. Kim Moo-sung as its probe into the alleged illegal leaking of the 2007 inter-Korean summit records entered the final stretch.
In the run up to the Dec. 19 presidential election, Kim, campaign chief and close aide to President Park Geun-hye, attacked the Democratic Party’s Rep. Moon Jae-in with claims that late President Roh Moo-hyun conceded the Northern Limit Line to Pyongyang with wording very close to that of the transcript in the possession of the spy agency. He will be questioned on whether he viewed the transcript and if he was quoting the presidential record.
“I will tell the whole truth as it is during questioning. I have not seen the summit transcript,” the Saenuri Party lawmaker said as he entered Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
“The controversies over the transcript should be left to the prosecution, and the National Assembly should resolve issues regarding people’s livelihoods.”
Along with Kim, Korean Ambassador to China Kwon Young-se, National Intelligence Service chief Nam Jae-joon and Reps. Chung Moon-hun and Suh Sang-kee have also been accused of the same crime by the main opposition party.
The prosecution, which had planned to question Kim in writing, riling the DP, is said to be scheduling times to summon Chung and Suh.
The DP had attacked the prosecution over the plans, saying that it was conducting a biased investigation, citing the summoning of Moon in connection with the probe concerning the handling of the transcript.
However, with Kim requesting to be questioned in person, the prosecution is unlikely to be able to shed suspicions of political bias, due in part to Kim’s political stature.
Kim served as the chief coordinator of President Park Geun-hye’s election campaign, regaining his status as the core member of the pro-Park faction despite having spent several years out on the fringe.
Kim also has significant political clout of his own. As a fifth-term lawmaker, he is only outmatched in terms of seniority by five lawmakers in the current assembly. He is also considered a leading contender for the party leadership, as well as one of the most likely figures to represent the conservatives in the next presidential election.
By Choi He-suk
(
cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)
