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The hometown of former president Roh Moo-hyun, the Bongha Village in Gimhae located in South Gyeongsang Province, has fallen into silence since April 8, the day after it was revealed that Roh‘s wife, Kwon Yang-suk, was involved in a bribery scandal related to Park Yeon-cha. Park, the chairman of Taekwang Industrial Co., was indicted last year for tax evasion and insider trading and continues to be investigated in connection with illegal government lobbying that spans two administrations. Roh and Kwon have not made appearances, and a 3-meter-high construction screen has been set up in front of their house, making the inside of the house invisible to outsiders.

Roh’s aides have not provided further explanation about the nature of the money Kwon received. A close aide to Roh said, “Yesterday, a context was offered, and it‘s not appropriate to disclose further specific details in advance of the prosecution’s investigation.”

The mood of an earlier meeting of senior lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) was depressed. DP Supreme Council member Park Joo-sun said, “It feels like the Seongsu Bridge has collapsed.” The bridge over the Han River collapsed in 1994, killing 32 people. “I want the prosecution to carry out a thorough investigation and unveil the truth,” Park said. He added, “Presumably, it shouldn‘t be used as a form of political revenge against the former president conducted in the name of rooting out corruption.”

In a closed-door meeting, another Supreme Council member Ahn Hee-jeong, who is considered a head of the Pro-Roh group, was quoted to say, “I apologize to the Party for causing trouble.” DP Chairman Chung Se-kyun made no particular comments on site, but Chung was reported to say, “I should make an apology, but Ahn made one instead. I also served as a minister in the Participatory Government (Roh’s administration).”

The DP has not made an official statement of regret over the matter. “While fretful, no clear facts have been disclosed. We have no plan to make an announcement at this time,” Chung said. According to some analysts, the DP might think that a clumsy apology may have a negative side effect for the party, which has been struggling to prepare for the upcoming April 29 by-election with both the possible nomination of former minister Chung Dong-young and the arrest of Rep. Lee Kwang-jae, who served as a close aide to former president Roh Moo-hyun and is suspected of receiving bribes from Park.

The ruling Grand National Party made a full-blown attack Tuesday and continued for a second day, saying, “One of the X-files on Roh Moo-hyun‘s administration was unearthed.” In a commentary, GNP spokesperson Yoon Sang-hyun said, “We can’t erase the sense of betrayal we feel from those who boasted, lied and were hypocritical about integrity and morality as their exclusive domain.”

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