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The main opposition Democratic United Party floor leader Park Jie-won voluntarily appeared before the prosecution Tuesday afternoon in a surprise twist to an investigation of his alleged bribery, averting an anticipated parliamentary clash over his arrest motion.
Park’s appearance before the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office came after the prosecution’s three consecutive summons and eventually a motion to detain him for questioning. The motion was just passed to the National Assembly by the Justice Ministry on Tuesday for approval. Park had defied all summons claiming the probe was politically motivated.
“Although the party has a stern position against me appearing before the prosecution, not to mention how I feel unjustly accused, I do not want to add burden on the party and my colleagues of both ruling and opposition parties,” DUP floor speaker Woo Won-shik quoted Park as saying as he left for the prosecution.
“I deemed that I could not risk losing an Assembly session in August due to my problem when we need to open it to deal with pending matters related to public livelihood,” Park said, adding that he plans to clarify his position and innocence.
Park is suspected of receiving around 80 million won in illegal political funds or kickbacks from Solomon Savings Bank and Bohae Savings Bank between 2007 and 2010 in return for his influence-peddling to prevent their shutdowns.
The rivaling parties had been bracing for a stormy Assembly session ahead, as the DUP vowed to thwart Park’s arrest motion such as through filibuster.
The ruling Saenuri Party was set on approving the motion as part of its renewed pledge to carry out political reform, after it had faced backlash upon its rejection in July of a detention of its member Rep. Chung Doo-un also involved in the bribery case.
Under the National Assembly Act, a detainment of incumbent lawmakers during a working session must receive approval from a majority of lawmakers.
The Saenuri Party, meanwhile, remained cynical of Park’s change-of-heart.
“The appearance by Park before the prosecution is something that should have happened all along. He had avoided the people and the law by refusing the prosecution’s summons three times. Park should now faithfully oblige with the jurisdiction’s legal process,” Saenuri Party spokesman Kim Young-woo said.
Both the Saenuri Party and the DUP had been at unease over the potential political backlash their positions on Park’s arrest motion would bring.
For the Saenuri, a majority vote to approve Park’s arrest without the participation of the opposition lawmakers would come with a burden.
For the DUP, refusing Park’s arrest could result in public condemnation of the lawmakers’ failure to live up to their reform pledges.
Some first-term DUP lawmakers protested the leadership’s recommendation to block the motion during the party’s emergency meeting late Monday, party sources said.
“It is the people’s wishes that whoever is at fault, whether it is Park or not, should be reprimanded,” Rep. Hwang Ju-hong was quoted as saying.
The prosecution, in the meantime, is expected to decide whether to indict Park after questioning him.
The DUP is expected to request an immediate opening of another extraordinary Assembly session early August.
By Lee Joo-hee
(jhl@heraldcorp.com)
<관련 한글 기사>
박지원 검찰 전격 출석.."결백 주장"
저축은행으로부터 금품을 수수한 혐의(정치자금법 위반 등)를 받는 민주통합당 박지원(70) 원내대표가 31일 검찰에 자진 출석했다.
박 원내대표는 이날 오후 2시58분께 서울 서초동 대검찰청 청사에 나와 '검찰에 전격 출석하게 된 배경이 뭐냐'는 취재진의 질문에 "검찰에 출석하는 것에 대해 당에서도 완강한 입장이었고 저로서도 사실이 아닌 것에 대해 조사받는 게 억울하다"며 "하지만 민생국회를 실종시킬 수 없었다"고 밝혔다.
박 원내대표는 "19대 국회 개원 협상을 주도한 원내대표로서 민간인 불법사찰 국정조사, 내곡동 사저의혹 특검 등 산재한 민생 국회가 저로 인해 차질을 빚어서는 안 된다고 생각했다"며 "또 여야 의원들에게 부담을 드려선 안 된다"고 말했다.
박 원내대표는 "특히 법원에서 체포영장 동의안을 국회에 제출했는데 법원의 판 단을 존중한다는 입장"이라며 "검찰 조사를 받고 사실에 대해 밝히겠다"고 말했다.
그는 '출석 일정에 대해 검찰과 조율했느냐'는 질문에 대해선 "더는 답변하지 않 겠다"고 했고, '혐의를 인정하 느냐'는 질문엔 아무런 대답을 하지 않고 곧장 조사실로 향했다.
이에 앞서 이 사건을 수사 중인 대검찰청 중앙수사부 산하 저축은행 비리 합동 수사단(단장 최운식 부장검사)은 박 원내대표가 세 차례에 걸친 출석 요구에 응하지 않자 지난 30일 체포영장을 청구했다.
검찰은 지난 19일과 23일, 27일 세 차례 출석 요구를 했다.
검찰이 체포영장을 청구하자 법원은 체포동의 요구서를 검찰과 법무부를 통해 국무총리실로 보냈고, 이날 오전 대통령 재가를 거쳐 국회에 제출됐다.
하지만 박 원내대표가 자진 출석하겠다고 밝힘에 따라 정부는 체포동의 요구서 철회서를 국회에 보낼 예정이다. 이 경우 체포동의 요구서는 자동 폐기된다.
수사팀 관계자는 "박 원내대표가 예기치 않게 출석함에 따라 일단 일정 부분 조사를 한 뒤 돌려보낼 예정"이라며 "추후 재소환해 조사할 것"이라고 말했다.
