The scandal surrounding former Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook’s private life is getting even muddier as ruling and opposition lawmakers Tuesday raised new allegations about his extramarital affairs and a conspiracy theory behind his resignation.
Chae, who is alleged to have a son born out of wedlock, stepped down from office on Monday.
On Tuesday, ruling Saenuri Party Rep. Kim Jin-tae alleged that Chae has had inappropriate relations with an opposition politician and that a senior Democratic Party lawmaker was aware of Chae’s son before his appointment.
Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the same party also pressed the DP, saying that the main opposition was twisting the nature of the case.
“The nature of the case is clear. It is about the existence of a son born out of wedlock, about the morality of a prosecutor general who violated the Constitution and the law,” Kweon said. He added that the allegations that Cheong Wa Dae placed Chae under surveillance and pressured him into resigning were part of the DP’s ploy to use the case for its gains.
“The reason the DP is protecting Chae is because (Chae) conducted investigations to its liking. (I) cannot erase the suspicion that there was a connection between Chae and the DP.”
Chae is said to have been behind former National Intelligence Service chief Won Sei-hoon and former Seoul police chief Kim Yong-pan being indicted on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.
The DP, for its part, raised further allegations implicating Cheong Wa Dae officials’ involvement in the case.
“(I) have confirmed that former senior secretary for civil affairs Kwak Sang-do requested information about Chae’s private life from NIS deputy chief Seo Cheon-ho,” DP’s Rep. Shin Kyoung-min said.
“(Kwak) took the information to the managing editor of Chosun Ilbo in August and said, “I will blow way Chae Dong-wook.””
Chosun Ilbo is a local daily that was the first to report the allegations against Chae.
He also claimed that other Cheong Wa Dae officials ordered the prosecutors looking into the missing inter-Korean summit transcript to report directly to the presidential office about the case.
As the issue took the center stage at the National Assembly, Chosun Ilbo and its broadcasting subsidiary TV Chosun raised further allegations against Chae on Tuesday.
According to Chosun reports, Lim’s former maid has come forward with evidence proving Chae’s relationship with Lim and their son.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
