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http://www.newscham.net/news/view.php?board=news&nid=57419 2010.06.25 (the original article in Korean ) The National Assembly Special Committee for Investigation on the Incident
of the Sunken Cheonan Ship, about to close on June 27th, had the last meeting
on the morning of 25th, with the attendance of lawmakers only from opposition
parties. This meeting was held only by the members of opposition parties, since the ruling Grand National
Party had refused it, not agreeing to the venue of the meeting. Representative Hong Young-Pyo of Democratic Party, the organizer of the
Special Committee from the opposition parties, said, ‘ This Special Committed
was set up by the request of many Korean people who demand substantial
findings regarding the Cheonan incident should be revealed. However,
Grand National Party took too much time organizing the committe, and what
with this and that, it was 54 days after the incident that the first meeting
of the committee was convened.’ He accused the ruling party, saying
‘Grand Nationa Party repeatedly refused to hold another meeting, which
obstructed expected normal activities of the committee.’ Representative
Hong also said to his regret, ‘ During the investigation period of the
committee, many lawmakers kept on requesting relating materials from the
Defense Department, but all they got was a 7-page report. As a result,
no lawmakers could see any substantial materials.’ Representative Hong Young-Pyo said, ‘After the 3rd meeting, we tried to hold a 4th one to discuss the new facts we got to know by reading the undisclosed materials based on the investigation by BAI (* Board of Audit and Investigation), but Grand National Party did not agree to our request of having the 4th meeting, which eventually was held only by lawmakers of opposition parties, regrettably.’ Rep.Hong Yong-Pyo charged Grand National Party with its insincerity and
intentional dissolution of the Special Committee, saying, ‘ Before the
Specail Committee was to close on 27th, we proposed to Grand National Party
that the duration of the committee should be extended, but they refused
it as well.’ Representative Ahn Gyu-Bek of Democratic Party said, ‘ A normal special
committee would have held a series of meetings, including investigation
visits to the site.’ He pointed out the resultant responsibility of Grand
National Party, saying, ‘ While the ruling party played this up as a grave
national crisis, they avoided meetings after having submitted the list of members of the special committee on
15th, thus causing the delay of organizing sessions and undermining the
significance of our truth-finding efforts.’ Representative Choi Moon-Soun of the Democratic Party said, ‘ I strongly
demand the Defense Department submit to the Parliament the 251-page report
which it had submitted to the United States,’ adding, ‘It is difficult to confirm as true many of the alleged findings regarding
the sinking of Cheonan, such as the alleged existence of water column, the alleged aluminum substance,
the possibility of the letter ‘ number one’ remaining as it is even under
high heat by an explosion, the reason why the screw blades were bent inward,
and so on. Representative Choi Moong-Soun emphasized that a legislative
investigation should be carried out. Representative Lee Jungn-Hee of the Democratic Labor Party said, ‘We cannot but insist that the Defense Department made a false announcement
to the Parliament as well as to our people, ‘ adding, ‘for example, as for in what form the catalog of torpedo expellants
is available, they made a falsification even in one day, saying to one
parliamentary member that the catalog was in written papers, while saying
to me that it was in a file,’ pointing out a broader question by saying,
‘I even don’t know which part of their announcements is believable and
which other part is not.’ Representative Lee Jung-Hee said, ‘The Defense Department filed a lawsuit even against me despite the fact
that I'm a member of the Special Committee, thus having raised rational
questions. This situation of the regime of terror is scaring our
people.’ He demanded a halt to such a threatening tactic of indictments,
saying,‘ Grand National Party should immediately stop reigning of terror which prevents
people from speaking out under their rights to the freedom of speech.’ Representative Lee also said, ‘Although the Defense committee passed
a resolution bill of denouncing North Korea, many questions have been raised
to their investigative findings, therefore, we should first extend the
duration of Special Committee and make a legislative investigation.’ Represetative Lee Jung-Hee said, ‘As for the amorphous substance allegedly
detected, objections are constantly raised. On June 24th, Dr. Yang Pan-Seok
said that the substance was not oxidized aluminum,’ and added, ‘The finding by the joint investigation team regarding the adhered substance has come to the point where it is no longer sustainable regardless of its 'scientific' explanation. We have to find out truths by setting up a legislative investigation.' |
Uploaded: June 29th, 2010
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