Former chief of staff and secretary summoned as witness of parliamentary inspection

Former chief of staff and secretary summoned as witness of parliamentary inspection. November. 22, 2016 07:12. by Jin-Kyun Kil leon@donga.com.

After the prosecution’s announcement pointing to President Park Geun-hye as accomplice to the influence-peddling scandal centered on her long-standing confidante Choi Soon-sil, the opposition parties are zeroing in on former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Ki-chun and Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs Woo Byung-woo.

“The prosecution turned a blind eye to Woo Byung-woo as well as to President Park and the heads of conglomerates by excluding the bribery charges (from the announcement made on the previous day),” said Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea during the Supreme Council meeting on Monday, adding that Woo must be arrested and investigated immediately. “I said I would poke the elephant with a needle to its death if that is what it takes to straighten things up. I have poked Woo enough, and now he is gone,” said Park Jie-won, the chairman of the emergency planning committee, in the committee’s joint meeting with lawmakers, stressing, “Now, it is Kim Ki-chun’s turn.” Floor Leader Jeong Jin-seok of the ruling Saenuri Party also called for speeding up the process of investigations into Woo.

The politicians are pointing their finger at Kim and Woo because Choi Soon-sil (arrested)’s influence-peddling would have not been possible without acquiescence or aid on the part of the two public officers who had been practically controlling government inspection agencies.

Accordingly, the ruling and opposition parties agreed that Kim and Woo should be present as witnesses for the upcoming parliamentary inspection from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14. In addition to Choi Soon-sil, the witness list includes the chairmen of the eight major South Korean companies such as Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, LG Chairman Koo Bon-moo, Hanwha Chairman Kim Seung-yeon, CJ Chairman Son Gyeong-sik, Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo, Hanjin Chairman Cho Yang-ho, and SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, who are alleged to have had a vis-à-vis meeting with President Park. Chairman Heo Chang-soo and Vice Chairman Lee Seung-cheol of the Federation of Korean Industries are expected to take the witness podium as well. However, the bi-partisan agreement failed to be reached on selecting President Park as witness.

The list of 21 witnesses including those mentioned above was announced on Monday by Rep. Lee Wan-yeong of the Saenuri Party, Rep. Park Byeom-gye of the Minjoo Party of Korea, and Rep. Kim Gyeong-jin of the People’s Party, who are sitting on a special committee for parliamentary inspection into the Park administration’s influence-peddling case committed by civilians including Choi Soon-sil. The lawmakers hinted at the possibility of conducting a parliamentary inspection that is biggest ever by adding, “The number of witnesses and investigators may increase through further consultations.”