(EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Dec. 19)

Probing Former PM
Let Court Decide Whether It's Bribery or Forgery

After defying the prosecution's summons three times, former Prime Minister Han
Myung-sook is facing investigation on suspicion of bribery.
It will likely not be easy, however, for the prosecutors to prove that Han, the
nation's first woman premier who served under the late former President Roh
Moo-hyun, received $50,000 in bribes from a businessman in 2007, as she seems set
``not to cooperate'' in the investigation, claiming it is nothing more than a
political conspiracy.
On-lookers have no means of knowing the truth between prosecutors claiming they
have firm beliefs in Han's wrongdoing, and the opposition political leader who
says she has not received a single penny of dirty money. A trial court may decide
on the matter in due course of time.
If more than a few Koreans get a sense of deja vu from the latest tug-of-war
between state prosecutors and the previous power elite, however, it may be
because they saw a similar case not so long ago on a far more larger ??? and
tragic ??? scale: the bribery probe into former President Roh, which lead to his
suicide earlier this year. Han received the most media attention because of her
role as the chief organizer of Roh's funeral.
Coincidentally or not, the proceedings of this case are surprisingly similar.
They started by some media outlets' reports of unconfirmed allegations and the
prosecution's confirmation later followed by more reports and confirmations. It
was only six months ago or so that the prosecution vowed not to make suspicious
allegations public in advance of the questioning of suspects. Yet, the only
difference seems to be whether the media notified everyone through a formal
announcement or informally leaked the information to a selected newspaper.
Opposition politicians say the move is the governing circle's plot to deal a
preemptive blow to their opponents by eroding the moral high ground of one of
their leaders, who has been rumored to be running for Seoul mayor next year.
Other oppositionists argue it is aimed at watering down some bribery cases
involving lawmakers of the ruling Grand National Party. These allegations are
hard to verify, but cannot be regarded as entirely groundless, given the
prosecution's accumulated track records and its long-lasting nickname of the
``handmaiden of power.''
If some prosecutors feel they are unfairly slandered by this popular mockery,
they should first be able to explain the far too apparent lack of equity in law
enforcement between the former and incumbent power elite. It was only weeks ago
that the prosecution, for instance, earned popular suspicion by conducting
investigations into two suspected irregularities involving the relatives and
acquaintances of President Lee in secret and hurried to wrap them up.
It is difficult to predict how the case against Han will unfold, but sufficient
damage has already been done to her as a politician. In contrast, no prosecutors
will suffer any disadvantage even if she is proven to be not guilty, as shown in
many similar previous cases where the prosecutors lost, including those involving
the unjustified prosecution of some media people earlier this year.
Rule of law should be any modern democracy's goal, but the objective is
accessible only when people who administer it are deemed fair and objective. This
is why the upcoming questioning should serve as an occasion for the prosecution
to look at its own actions.
(END)