Korean Govt Labor Cointelpro Program Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - Jun 11, 1999 by labornews@igc.org 06/10/1999 Korea Herald Kim orders probe of alleged plot to incite labor unrest by Chon Shi-yong Staff reporter In a quick follow-up to the dismissal of the justice minister, President Kim Dae-jung yesterday ordered a thorough probe of a prosecutor's allegation that he tried to incite an illegal strike at a state-run corporation last November. "Such a thing could not and should not happen under this government," Kim was quoted as saying by his spokesman, Park Joon-young. A transparent, fair and thorough investigation should be made so that "not a single dot" of suspicion remains, Kim said, adding that it should be completed in the shortest possible period of time. Kim issued the statement through the spokesman shortly after holding an emergency meeting with Kim Young-bae, the No. 2 man of the ruling National Congress for New Politics (NCNP). In line with the President's instructions, the NCNP accepted the opposition's demand that the National Assembly launch a special investigation into the case. Floor leaders of the rival parties met yesterday afternoon to work out the details of the planned parliamentary probe. Presidential aides said they also expect new Justice Minister Kim Jung-kil to instruct the prosecution to conduct its own investigation. Senior prosecutor Chin Hyung-gu touched off the scandal Monday when he told a group of reporters that the prosecution secretly encouraged the union of the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corp. (KMSPC) to stage an illegal strike last November. The prosecution and the corporation's management conspired to lay the groundwork for a harsh government crackdown on radical union groups, Chin was quoted as saying. The fresh scandal forced President Kim to fire not only Chin, but also former Justice Minister Kim Tae-joung, who had already faced strong pressure to step down over the so-called "boutique" scandal to contain the political fallout. Kim Tae-joung was the prosecutor-general last year. The President's call for a thorough investigation of the scandal represents a reversal of the Kim government's attitude. Chong Wa Dae Chief of Staff Kim Joong-kwon said Tuesday that Chin's statement was a "slip of the tongue" made under the influence of alcohol. Park Joo-sun, the top legal aide at Chong Wa Dae, said that President Kim ordered the investigation because the media and civic groups raised suspicions that the prosecution, in cahoots with the management, actually encouraged the KMSPC union to conduct an illegal strike to protest against a government-initiated restructuring program. "It is unthinkable that the prosecution meddled in a labor dispute in such a way," Park, a former prosecutor, said. But spokesman Park Joon-young gave some indication that the prosecution might have been involved in some misconduct. "Even if Chin's allegation turns out to be true, it did not have anything to do with the government or the President," Park said. "A thorough investigation should be made and if it proves that there were some problems, they should be redressed," the spokesman said. Updated: 06/10/1999 ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytas-06.16.99-02:55:58-10004