Pressure mounts on Ahn Cheol-soo to explain fabrication scandal

Pressure is mounting on Ahn Cheol-soo, former presidential candidate of the People’s Party, to explain a fake accusation that the party allegedly made against the son of President Moon Jae-in during the election season.

Strongly denouncing the centrist camp, Moon’s Democratic Party of Korea on Wednesday demanded that Ahn “stop hiding” and make clear his stance on the scandal.

Other parties, including the main conservative Liberty Korea Party, echoed the view.

“The party has plotted a political tempest to deceive the whole nation during the election period. This is an anti-democratic act that should not have been done,” said the chief of the ruling Democratic Party, Choo Mi-ae.

The calls came as Ahn kept mum for the second day since the scandal first broke.

State prosecutors raided the homes and offices of two members from the People’s Party over the allegation that they made up “evidence,” including voice recordings, to show Moon’s son was given special favors when applying for a job at a public organization.

The two under investigation as suspects are party member Lee Yoo-mi, apprehended late Monday night, and a former member of the party’s supreme council, Lee Joon-seo.

Lee Yoo-mi earlier claimed that the evidence tampering was ordered by the party’s leadership, but has changed her testimony to say that she alone is responsible.

The party’s leadership has also made strong statements to deny its involvement.

“We view the manipulation as an independent crime done by Lee Yoo-mi. If it is revealed that the party was systematically involved in the action, I will lead the dismantling of this party,” its interim chief Rep. Park Joo-seon said.

Calls for Ahn to break his silence are growing, even within the party.

“It is obvious that the then-presidential candidate should reveal his stance and apologize. He should take responsibility over the incident that occurred during the election, as he was the presidential candidate then,” Kim Tae-il, the party’s reform committee chief said in a radio interview.

Lee Yoo-mi was formerly Ahn’s student at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. She has been a fervent supporter of Ahn since his first presidential bid in 2012.

Rep. Kim Kwan-young, who is leading the party’s probe of the scandal, said there should definitely be a talk with Ahn.

Rep. Kim said he would carry out a thorough probe on those involved in the incident and added he would visit the arrested Lee.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)