The ruling Saenuri Party decided Friday to ask two members to leave the party over an alleged money-for-nomination scandal, an attempt to create a firebreak to stop the scandal from hurting its chances in December's presidential election.
The scandal centers on suspicions that Rep. Hyun Young-hee became a lawmaker on a proportional representation ticket after giving 300 million won ($265,000) to Hyun Ki-hwan, then a member of the party's nomination committee, ahead of April's general elections.
Both have flatly rejected the allegations. The suspicions, if proven true, would deal a serious blow to the party and its leading presidential contender, Park Geun-hye. Park was then chief of the party.
Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the case.
"We have decided to take necessary measures" including asking the two to leave the party, spokesman Kim Young-woo said after an emergency meeting of the party's Supreme Council. "The reason we made this decision is to create a situation where the prosecution can conduct an investigation in a more thorough and swift manner."
Party Chairman Hwang Woo-yea later told reporters the party will "take action" if the scandal-ridden members refuse to leave, a remark widely interpreted as an indication they may be expelled.
By law, Rep. Hyun will lose her parliamentary seat if she leaves the party voluntarily because she was elected on a proportional representation ticket. Should the party expel her, however, she can keep her seat, the spokesman said.
Earlier Friday, the former election nomination committee member appeared before prosecutors.
"The scandal seriously damaged my honor," Hyun told reporters as he entered the prosecutors' office in the southeastern city of Busan. He also said he "never took money in connection with the party's nomination."
Hyun Young-hee, who also dismissed the allegation as totally groundless, has pledged to appear before prosecutors for questioning, even during a parliamentary session, although she is immune from arrest while the National Assembly is in session. She did not give a specific time frame.
The swift development came as prosecutors looked into the latest bribery scandal, and underscored the party's concerns that the issue, if confirmed, could doom its leading presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye's presidential bid.
Park, a front-runner in opinion polls for the presidential election, has called for a thorough investigation "without a speck of doubt."
Four minor presidential contenders from the Saenuri Party decided to temporarily boycott the primary race after the party's leadership rejected their demand for Hwang's resignation, according to an aide to one of the candidates, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Starting with a television debate scheduled for 11 p.m. Friday, all four contenders will suspend campaigning until their demand is met, the aide said.
The four -- Yim Tae-hee, former chief of staff to President Lee Myung-bak; Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo; former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Tae-ho; and former Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo -- had earlier warned they could make a "grave decision" unless Hwang, who played a key role in the nomination process, resigned his position by Saturday to take responsibility for the scandal.
The party chief later told reporters he understands the four candidates' demand as a call for him to "take responsibility and quickly resolve the matter."
The ruling party is scheduled to select its presidential nominee at a national convention on Aug. 20.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) attacked the ruling party and presidential hopeful Park over the latest bribery scandal.
Park "should withdraw her presidential bid if the money-for-nomination scandal turns out to be true," Kang Gi-jung, a lawmaker and a senior DUP official, said in a meeting with fellow lawmakers.
Moon Jae-in, a leading presidential contender of the DUP, said the scandal is the latest reminder of the true nature of the ruling party, whose predecessors were tainted by bribery scandals in recent years.
Separately, prosecutors in Seoul said they have launched an investigation into allegations that two officials of the minor opposition Advancement and Unification Party won a commitment from Kim Young-joo, a potential candidate, to lend 5 billion won to the party in exchange for a nomination for the April elections. Kim went on to be elected as a lawmaker.
Another official of the party is suspected of diverting more than 400 million won in party funds to help several other candidates ahead of the elections.
Relevant party officials are expected to be summoned soon for questioning, a prosecution official said. (Yonhap News)
<관련 한글 기사>
새누리, ‘공천헌금 의혹’ 의원들에 “나가!”
새누리당은 3일 `4ㆍ11 총선' 공 천헌금 파문과 관련, 당사자인 현영희 의원과 현기환 전 의원에게 탈당 권유 등의 필요한 조치를 취하기로 했다.
새누리당은 이날 오후 국회에서 2차 긴급 최고위원회의를 열어 이같이 결정했다고 김영우 대변인이 전했다.
이 같은 조치는 당 지도부가 오전에 열린 1차 최고위원회의에서 윤리위 차원의 진상조사, 검찰의 철저한 수사 촉구 등의 수습책을 제시한 데 대해 당 안팎에서 "미흡하다"는 비판과 지적이 제기된 직후 나온 것이다.
김 대변인은 탈당권유 배경에 대해 "검찰이 보다 철저하고 신속한 조사를 할 수 있는 환경을 만들기 위한 것"이라고 설명했다.
특히 황우여 대표는 회의 직후 기자들과 만나 "탈당은 본인 스스로 결정해야 할 사안"이라며 "여의치 않으면 당이 조치를 취할 것"이라며 자진 탈당이 이뤄지지 않을 경우 `출당'이 이뤄질 수 있음을 시사했다.
비례대표인 현영희 의원의 경우 탈당을 하게 되면 의원직을 상실하게 된다. 하 지만 출당 조치가 이뤄지면 의원직은 유지한다.
현 의원 측은 연합뉴스와의 통화에서 "당으로부터 연락을 받은 게 없다"며 "아 직은 입장을 밝힐 때가 아니다"고 밝혔다.
현기환 전 의원은 현재 공천헌금 의혹을 수사 중인 부산지검에 자진 출석, 조사를 받고 있다.
당 지도부는 또 비박(非朴ㆍ비박근혜) 주자들이 황우여 대표의 사퇴를 요구한 데 대해선 "사퇴보다는 사태수습이 먼저"라며 사실상 `사퇴불가' 입장을 정리했다.
황 대표는 "책임을 지고 문제를 해결하는 뜻으로 안다"고 말했다.
당 지도부는 아울러 사태 수습방안을 논의하기 위해 모든 경선후보가 참석하는 연석회의를 소집하기로 결정했다.
연석회의 참석대상은 황우여 대표를 비롯한 최고위원단과 김수한 경선관리위원장, 박근혜 전 비상대책위원장을 포함한 경선주자 5인이다.
이에 대해 4명의 비박주자 측은 황우여 대표의 사퇴 시한을 4일까지로 정한 만큼 좀더 상황을 지켜보겠다는 입장이다.
김문수 경기지사 측 신지호 전 의원은 "경선후보들이 요구한 사퇴 시한까지 좀 더 지켜볼 것"이라며 "또한 경선주자들이 모두 참여하는 연석회의라면 피할 이유가 없다"고 밝혔다.
김태호 의원 측은 "경선후보 4명의 당 대표 사퇴 요구가 받아들여지지 않으면 연석회의 자체도 무의미하다"고 말했고, 안상수 전 인천시장 측은 "내일 (4일) 비박 주자 측 대리인 모임을 해야 할 것"이라고 했다.
이와 함께 새누리당은 이와 함께 쇄신을 강력하게 추진하는 과정에서 이와 같은 상황이 발생한 것에 대해 최고지도부가 국민에게 죄송하다는 입장을 다시 한 번 밝힌다고 김 대변인은 말했다.
