By Shim Jae-yun
Staff Reporter

The major opposition Grand National Party (GNP) on Monday urged President Roh Moo-hyun to step down, holding him primarily responsible for the slew of illegal fund-raising during last year’s presidential campaigns.

GNP officials underscored the prosecution allegation that Roh attended the meeting in which his confidant Lee Kwang-jae took money from Sun & Moon chairman Moon Byung-wook late last year.

They also criticized Roh for failing to take proper steps in Lee Ki-myung’s plan to sell land in Yongin, Kyonggi province, to pay off debt incurred by Roh-owned mineral water company, changsuchon.

Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, in charge of strategy and planning affairs at the majority party, said the discovery implicates Roh in bribery.

``This clearly proves that all the allegations raised by the GNP regarding irregularities by Roh and his aides are true,’’ Hong said.

GNP spokesman Rep. Park Jin also called on the prosecution to get to the bottom of the recent case, saying there is an ulterior connection between Roh and Sun & Moon chairman Moon Byung-wook.

The Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) also joined the GNP in criticizing Roh.

``Although Roh is said to have left the meeting before Moon offered the money, it is a serious issue and closely related to the ethics of Roh and his participatory government,’’ party spokesman Rep. Kim Young-hwan said.

jayshim@koreatimes.co.kr