Chung's Death Must not Disrupt S-N Cooperation
2003-08-05
President Roh Moo-hyun on Monday (Aug. 4) expressed sorrow over the death of Hyundai Asan chairman Chung Mong-hun and said the government will push ahead with inter-Korean economic cooperation projects despite the loss.
“I deeply regret the unexpected death of chairman Chung,” Roh was quoted as saying by his spokesman Yoon Tai-young. “He contributed greatly to the South-North economic cooperation projects, such as the Mt. Geumgang tourism business and the construction of Gaeseong industrial complex. The government will make positive efforts so the inter-Korean economic projects will proceed as intended by the deceased.”
Roh sent chief presidential secretary Moon Hee-sang to deliver flowers to the mortuary to express his condolences to the bereaved family.
The president, currently on vacation, was told of Chung’s suicide at around 6:50 a.m. by senior secretary for civil affairs Moon Jae-in, who was briefed by National Police Agency chief Choi Key-moon 10 minutes earlier.
Officials said Cheong Wa Dae will need to watch developments before drawing any conclusions. However, the presidential office is busy studying the possible impacts of Chung’s death on future inter-Korean relations, especially on the ongoing cross-border economic projects, holding a meeting of senior presidential advisors.
Prime Minister Goh Kun called Chung’s death “very shocking and regrettable.”
He called Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun and asked relevant ministries to take prompt and specific steps so that the various inter-Korean economic cooperation businesses will not be affected by Chung’s death.
Former President Kim Dae-jung was shocked by the news, according to his aides.
Kim watched the news coverage on television and repeated that Chung will be written into history for his contributions to inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, they said.
In recent years, Chung had spearheaded the inter-Korean economic cooperation projects pioneered by his late father, Chung Ju-yung.
The junior Chung was in charge of the subsidiary responsible for investments and trade with North Korea. He was indicted in June for false accounting in relation to the “cash-for-summit” scandal, involving the secret transfer of $500 million to North Korea.
An independent judicial inquiry found that $100 million was transferred on behalf of the Kim Dae-jung administration to help secure a historic summit meeting between the two Koreas three years ago. Chung faced a jail term up to three years if found guilty.
Former government officials, including Kim’s closest confidant, have also been indicted. But the former president, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his meeting with the North Korean ruler Kim Jong-il, has so far escaped questioning.
Source : www.korea.net
