President Lee Myung-bak is carefully considering using his veto power against a controversial revision to the political fund law that practically legalizes lobbying toward lawmakers, a ranking presidential aide said Monday.
The National Assembly Committee on Public Administration and Security approved the bill only 10 minutes after it was put to vote on Friday following the bill's failure to pass the parliament last year due to strong opposition from the public.
Politicians are currently banned from accepting "funds related to organizations," even if the funds are split into small amounts and transmitted under individual names. Under the revision, however, politicians face criminal punishment only when it is clear the funds they received were from organizations.
"The people, in a word, view the revision as a retrospective legislation to offer immunity from criminal responsibility for those involved in legislative lobbying," the aide told Yonhap News Agency by phone.
"There are some opinions inside the presidential office that the timing of effectuating the bill should be delayed until after the expiry of the incumbent parliamentary term," the official said.
Also sparking public furor is the fact that the parliamentary committee skipped an open discussion in the deliberation procedures, he said.
"Some in the government say the president must yield his veto power against the bill," the official added.
The presidential office, however, denied the news report.
"Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office, has never discussed or considered using the president's veto right," Hong Sang-pyo, senior secretary for public affairs at the presidential office, told reporters.
Kim Hee-jung, the presidential spokeswoman, said that Cheong Wa Dae expects the parliament to deliberate the bill with prudence, respecting the public opinion.
The bill now awaits approval from the parliamentary committee on legislation and judiciary and a main floor session.
Opponents say the bill will permit lobbying by organizations to influence legislation, while lawmakers supporting it say it will help boost small-amount political donations from ordinary citizens.
The revision, if passed by the parliament, is expected to give immunity to six ruling and opposition lawmakers under probe for taking illegal political funds from an association of private security guards.
The lawmakers, some of them members of the parliamentary committee on public administration, allegedly received over 10 million won (US$8,900) and up to 50 million won from the association for exerting their influence in the passing of a bill in December 2009 that raises pay and improves working conditions for association members.
The accused legislators have claimed that the money they received was legitimate political donations, denying the funds were exchanged for favors.
Prosecutors in November last year raided offices of 11 lawmakers who played a key role in passing the bill or were suspected of receiving over 10 million won from the association.
Investigators have said they will continue their probe on accountants and aides to the other five lawmakers and 32 more legislators who may have received political funds from the security guard association.
"The public rage is surging over the revised bill," said Ahn Sang-soo, chairman of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP), during a party leadership meeting. "The legislation committee must carefully deliberate the bill, thoroughly reviewing the public opinion on the bill and potential legal problems with it."
Kim Moo-sung, floor leader of the party, told Yonhap that his party has never determined that it will pass the bill in the March session.
Park Jie-won, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), said conditions have not been created for the bill's passage during the session.
"We, in principle, see it is proper to legislate a law that would encourage many citizens to pay small amounts of political donations because it is a path to more transparent politics," he said. "But we need to give consideration to the public opinion."