President Lee Myung-bak stated two days ago at a cabinet meeting that he plans eradicate endemic corruption, corruption in education and corruption by figures of authority. President Lee said that inspection agencies had recently held a joint policy meeting and decided to launch omni-directional inspections.

Stamping out corruption is the natural duty of inspection agencies, and there is nothing unusual about the president announcing moves to eradicate endemic corruption. However, the reality of his administration stands in stark contrast to President Lee’s statements.

Despite President Lee’s promise, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (SPO) has long since put off investigations of corruption related to powerful figures. The suspected corruption in Hyosung Group, a chaebol owned by the family of the president’s son-in-law, is a typical example. The group is suspected of being in violation of corruption laws and engaging in illegal activities, including setting up overseas slush funds, illegal share transfers, and defense industry corruption.

The SPO, despite having pledged long ago to gather detailed evidence of crimes that Hyosung Group has allegedly been committed, has for some reason scaled back most of its investigations to near nonexistence. One indictment was made regarding certain charges last year when suspicion rose about overseas real estate purchases by members of the family that owns Hyosung Group, but no further news related to this has emerged in the several months that have since passed. This inevitably raises doubts about the SPO’s intentions to investigate and suspicions that it plans to furtively drop the matter once interest has died down.

There are more than a few similarly suspicious cases. While various children of the executives of major corporations have been imprisoned on charges of insider trading, Lee Myung-bak’s son-in-law was cleared of similar allegations. The president’s elder brother and ruling Grand National Party Lawmaker Lee Sang-deuk not arraigned despite confirmation of the fact that he had received asking from Chun Shin-il, chairman of Sejoong Tour Mall, regarding dropping a tax investigation. In the case of former National Tax Service (NTS) commissioner Han Sang-ryul, who is well informed of the suspect activities that occurred during the transition to the current administration, the SPO’s investigation has dragged on for more than a year despite clear suspicions including his bribery of a predecessor with an expensive painting.

This is in contrast to the early indictment, on charges of corruption, of former NTS bureau director Ahn Won-ku on charges of corruption after he revealed that then-commissioner Han had lobbied influential figures in the Lee administration to secure a further term as NTS commissioner. What is it that the SPO is hiding that is leading it to drop these investigations and bury its head in the sand?

In fact, a report by the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy’s Center for Judiciary Watch shows that eight of the leading cases handled by the SPO over the last two years related to corruption by the Lee Myung-bak administration, while the number concerning government opponents and employees of the former Roh Moo-hyun administration was more than twice this figure. Even among the eight concerning the Lee administration, no more than two resulted in proper indictments. Who, then, will believe the promises of those in power to root out corruption?

In addition, there are suspicions that President Lee’s announcement of the “eradication of the three main kinds of corruption” is aimed at targeted politically motivated investigations. If he really means what he says, the SPO, currently engaged in a long-term slowdown, must be the first to resume proper investigations once again.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]