MBC Reports Intelligence Agency’s Eavesdropping in 1997


By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter



Korea’s leading television network MBC broadcasts a series of detailed reports on a tape recording that sparked controversy over eavesdropping and 1997 presidential election campaign on its prime-time news program at 9 p.m. Friday. / Korea Times

Samsung Group campaigned for Lee Hoi-chang, then ruling party candidate in the 1997 presidential race, and Hong Seok-hyun, then president of JoongAng Ilbo, played a key role, a major broadcaster reported.
Following its initial reports the previous day, MBC television reported in more detail on the ``Lee Sang-ho X-File,’’ named after its reporter who first obtained an audiotape containing a secret conversation between executive officers of Samsung and JoongAng Ilbo.

``Samsung is suspected of having contributed about 10 billion won ($9.8 million) to Lee Hoi-chang, then candidate of the ruling camp, ahead of the 1997 presidential election and Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee sent Hong Seok-hyun to deliver the money,’’ MBC said.



Lee Hak-soo Ambassador Hong Seokhyun

Lee said he had obtained the recording, derived Sept. 9, 1997 by a ultra-secret team of the nation’s anti-espionage agency wiretapping them.
``The two figures who were meeting on the secret deal are Hong, who is now the nation’s ambassador to the United States, and Lee Hak-soo, vice chairman of Samsung Group’s corporate restructuring office,’’ said the reporter on the news program.

Hong is said to have also met with then opposition party candidate, Kim Dae-jung, who was elected president in the December election, to give a certain amount of money, though much less than that delivered to Lee Hoi-chang.

It was on Thursday when the alleged scandal was first reported by a local daily, while MBC has been vacillating on whether to release its reporter’s X-File due to the lack of corroborating evidence.

Chosun Ilbo wrote in its front-page article that the national intelligence agency had allegedly recorded private meetings of politicians, executives of conglomerates and senior journalists between 1993 and 1998 and that the Lee Sang-ho X-File is one such case.

At first, most of the news media were cautious to leave the ``key figures’’ involved unnamed. But Hong and Lee Hak-soo identified themselves by filing a court request to prohibit MBC from broadcasting the news.

While talking with Korean correspondents in Washington, Hong said he ``cannot remember anything’’ about the conversation because years have since passed. But, asked why he filed the legal request, he said: ``Who on earth can be pleased at the revelation of their private dialogue?’’

The illegal eavesdropping by the state spy agency, as well as the backdoor dealings between Samsung, JoongAng Ilbo and Lee Hoi-chang, is already hitting the nation’s political, economic and journalistic circles.

The ruling and opposition parties moved to launch a fact-finding mission on the case triggered by the spy agency’s illegal eavesdropping.

MBC filed an objection against the court decision and made its case for airing the tape, saying the conversation will be covered by the provision on illegal political funds, the media’s involvement in the presidential election as well as collusive links among those in power, conglomerates and the media.

The broadcaster said the tape ``should be made public and the truth must be established.’’

Meanwhile, Kim Kun-il, a lawyer for Hong Seok-hyun and Lee Hak-soo, called on the public and the media to exercise restraint concerning the content of the tape, arguing that the public interest must be considered.

The court is reportedly planning to deliberate on the case by the middle of next month.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr