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The Korea Democracy Foundation, which invited the Korean-German scholar Song Du-yul to return from exile, asked high-ranking officials at Cheong Wa Dae in June to cooperate in arranging Song¡¯s entry, recent evidence showed. Song has since been found to be a secret member of the North Korean Workers Party.
The chairman of the foundation, Park Hyung-kyu, sent a letter to President Roh Moo-hyun through the Cheong Wa Dae secretarial office asking for Song to be allowed to return to South Korea, said the Grand National Party lawmaker Min Bong-ki, who presented the letter to the National Assembly's self-administration committee. ¡°This proves close cooperation with Cheong Wa Dae,¡± he said.
Park¡¯s letter was given to President Roh through Cheong Wa Dae secretarial staff when Park was invited there for a breakfast meeting in March. In the letter, he introduced Song Du-yul as a ¡°scholar that has continuously researched unification problems.¡±
The letter pointed out that the Justice Ministry had essentially barred Song's return, saying that if it was permitted it could hurt social order so it may not be allowed. Regarding this, the letter read, ¡°Entry has been refused due to the willful judgment of the Ministry of Justice.¡±
Cheong Wa Dae said that it received no official request, and that the foundation was informed that Cheong Wa Dae could not allow Song into the country let alone invite him to Cheong Wa Dae events, because his profile required investigation.
The National Assembly are calling for Park to reveal his negotiations with Cheong Wa Dae regarding Song¡¯s entry and Cheong Wa Dae¡¯s support. Opposition party lawmakers are demanding that Park take responsibility for the matter and resign.
(Kwon Dae-yeol, dykwon@chosun.com )
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