Published : Sept. 15, 2013 - 17:53
15일 서울광장 천막당사에서 김한길 민주당대표가 16일 열리는 여야3자회담에 대한 입장을 밝히기 위해 긴급기자회견을 열고 있다. (정희조 기자/코리아헤럴드)
김한길 민주당 대표는 여야 대표 및 박근혜 대통령 간 3자회담에 응하겠다면서도 채동욱 검찰총장 사퇴사태가 국정원 선거개입사건의 연장선상이라며 대통령에게 답을 묻겠다고 밝혔다.
김 대표는 일요일 오후 2시 서울시청 앞 서울광장에서 긴급기자회견을 열고 “회담의 주요 의제는 국정원 등 국가정보기관의 정치개입의 폐해가 돼야 한다. 검찰총장 사퇴 문제 역시 연장선상에 있다”면서 “이에 대한 분명한 답변을 대통령이 준비해야 할 것”이라며 이같이 말했다.
민주당 내에서는 16일 열릴 3자회담을 정권 차원의 ‘채동욱 총장 몰아내기’, ‘국정원 무죄만들기 프로젝트’로 규정하고, ‘유신•공작정치의 부활’ 등의 이유로 반발이 거셌다.
이정현 청와대 홍보수석은 이에 대해 ‘혼외아들 의혹’이 제기된 지 1주일 만에 채동욱 검찰총장이 전격 사의를 표명한 것과 관련, “사표수리를 하지 않았다. 진실규명이 우선”이라고 밝혔다.
이 수석은 이어 “진실이 규명되면 깨끗이 해결되는 문제”라며 “이번 사안을 의도적 프레임으로 몰아가서 청와대에 책임을 묻고 이런저런 의혹을 제기하는 등 본질하고 다른 방향으로 가서 국론을 분열시키고 공직사회를 흔드는 것은 바람직한 방향이 아니며 총장으로서도 바람직하지 않다”라고 주장했다.
DP chair warns of tough three-way talks with president
Cheong Wa Dae says Chae’s resignation not accepted yet
By Choi He-suk
The main opposition Democratic Party vowed to bring up the controversy surrounding Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook’s resignation in the talks with President Park Geun-hye and the Saenuri Party leader on Monday, signaling a tough political standoff ahead.
On Sunday, DP chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil warned that he will take up the issue with the president, saying that he will attend the meeting being held at the National Assembly despite concerns that Chae’s resignation has rendered the meeting meaningless. Chae’s announcement was made on Friday, about an hour after Minister of Justice Hwang Kyo-ahn ordered an inspection to verify allegations of the prosecutor general having an extramarital child.
“The main agendas for tomorrow’s conference should be the harm in the National Intelligence Service and other organizations of power meddling in politics,” Kim said. The DP has been calling for Park to apologize and to directly engage in clarifying the NIS’ alleged attempts to influence last year’s presidential election.
“The prosecutor general’s resignation is on the same plane. President Park should prepare a clear answer for this.”
Kim added that Chae, whom the Park Geun-hye administration considered “a thorn in its eye,” has been pushed out by the government and that such developments could not have happened without the approval of the president.
Earlier in the day, Cheong Wa Dae reiterated that the presidential office was not involved in the developments.
Senior presidential press secretary Lee Jung-hyun said that Chae’s resignation has not been processed, and that the priority is to find the truth about the situation.
A high-level Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters that the president would also see the need to find the truth and that the main opposition party should not use related developments to further their agenda.
Saying that the issue does not concern the prosecutors’ independence, the Cheong Wa Dae official said Chae’s problem was about a public figure’s ethicality.
“An inspection is carried out when there is a problem, and the order was given to verify the truth according to the Justice Ministry’s system,” he said.
“Why is Chae stepping down (if the allegations) are not true. (Chae) should actively seek to reveal the truth.”
The prosecutor general and his alleged extramarital child took center stage in the political arena following reports from a major conservative newspaper.
While Chae denied having any knowledge about the allegations, speculations have risen that the Chosun Ilbo report was a ploy by the government to punish Chae for his actions regarding the NIS and its alleged election interference.
There have been reports of fissures between the Justice Ministry and the prosecution under Chae’s lead over the prosecutors’ indictment in June of former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon and former Seoul police commissioner Kim Yong-pan for violating the Public Official Election Act and the NIS Act.
Regardless of whether Chae’s resignation has been processed or not, the prosecutor general’s announcement has prompted protests from prosecutors citing concerns for their political independence, and that for the stability of the organization.
On Saturday, prosecutors of the Seoul West District Prosecutors’ Office formally opposed the decision saying that the circumstances surrounding Chae’s announcement could raise doubts about the prosecutors’ independence.
Prosecutors of other Seoul districts and provincial offices are expected to follow suit during the week.
(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)