As the Democratic Party presses its attack, Han Dong-hoon fires back, calling it 'delusion'

The Democratic Party of Korea on Friday urged a full investigation into allegations that Han Dong-hoon, an independent lawmaker, intervened in the probe into suspicions that his daughter's credentials were fabricated while he served as justice minister. Han the same day rebutted the claims as "delusional."

Lee Joo-hee, the party's floor spokesperson, issued a statement saying, in effect, that "prosecutors blocked the way, and the police dropped the case for lack of evidence." Park Sung-jun, the party's chief spokesperson, said, "The whole nation is wondering why the prosecutors under Han Dong-hoon, who tore apart other people's children's cases, ground to a halt when it came to Han Dong-hoon's own daughter." The party questioned the fairness of the prosecution's investigation by comparing it with the probe into admission fraud allegations involving the daughter of former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk.

Floor spokesperson Lee pointed out that because international mutual legal assistance requests must pass through the justice minister, if the police request had reached the ministry, the approving authority would have been the father of the person under suspicion. He demanded that Rep. Han disclose whether he had reported a conflict of interest or sought recusal at the time, and urged the Justice Ministry to reveal why the mutual legal assistance request was rejected. Chief spokesperson Park called on Rep. Han and former Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office chief Song Kyung-ho to explain why the investigation was halted.

Rep. Han pushed back in a Facebook post on Friday. He claimed that "the so-called '99-cent copyright' Matador, which the Democratic Party mobbed in its attempt to take down Han Dong-hoon, was a case in which even the 'consent' of the foreign copyright holder had been obtained." This was his rebuttal to suspicions of copyright law violations arising from the process in which his daughter produced an e-book using math problems created by others and sold it on Amazon in the United States for 99 cents. "At the justice minister's confirmation hearing, the Democratic Party simply filed reckless complaints, but there was nothing remotely problematic," Han declared flatly, calling it "a Democratic Party delusion." He added, "There is nothing to cover up or not cover up."

Han also took aim at Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok, writing on Facebook: "The outcome of the Democratic Party's collective rush, following notebooks of instructions of 'Han Dong-hoon out' and the 'Han Dong-hoon files' from Kim Min-seok, who pocketed 920 million won, is pitiful and pathetic." The 920 million won referred to amounts on which Kim was convicted in two past violations of the Political Funds Act. Kim has maintained that he was the target of a politically motivated prosecution. He has argued that the failure to issue receipts for 200 million won in donations received by the party's central organization during the 2002 Seoul mayoral election was not his fault, and that in the 720 million won case, part of the money was borrowed and part was received as living and housing expenses.

With the back-and-forth continuing while the Democratic Party demands that Rep. Han and former prosecutor chief Song explain why the investigation was halted, the standoff between the ruling and opposition camps is expected to persist. Whether the circumstances of the probe into his daughter's e-book will be made public is likely to be the next flashpoint.