By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter

The Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) plans to call on the nation’s election watchdog to file a complaint against Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil alleging she violated election laws.

The minor opposition party said on Tuesday it would ask the National Election Commission to review Kang’s remarks in which she expressed her opinions on the impeachment motion against President Roh Moo-hyun.

A staunch reformist and one of Roh’s most loved ministers, Kang said on Monday that it would be most desirable for the next Assembly _ forming after the April 15 general elections _ to withdraw the impeachment motion passed by the current Assembly last Friday.

In off-the-record remarks, Kang told reporters that most of the people are against the impeachment not because they are Roh’s supporters but because they are angry about the Assembly’s disregard for the public.

``We cannot tell whether Kang is the justice minister or a private lawyer of President Roh,’’ MDP chairman Chough Soon-hyung said in his party’s morning meeting.

``This is a remark that is clearly meant to be affecting the upcoming polls,’’ he argued, adding Kang breached the duty as a government minister to stay neutral about the national elections.

Rep. Hong Sa-duk, floor leader of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) also launched a strong attack against Minister Kang.

``Kang’s remark should have never been made by a Cabinet minister,’’ Hong said. ``We’ll never sit idle if such remarks continue to come out.’’

Regarding the opposition’s offensives, a Justice Ministry official said that the remarks in problem was made in response to some reporters’ question.

``Minister Kang just replied to some reporters’ question asking about the withdrawal of the impeachment motion, by saying `Ah! That sounds possible,’’’ the official said. ``Her remarks have been somewhat distorted and taken out of the context.’’

Prime Minister Goh Kun told his government ministers on Tuesday to refrain from making political remarks.

``Ministers should do their best not to get tangled in political matters and remain neutral,’’ Goh said in the first Cabinet meeting over which he presided as acting president after the presidential impeachment.

The MDP achieved the unprecedented presidential impeachment in alliance with the majority-opposition GNP. The opposition camps, according to latest opinion polls, are now facing harsh criticism from angry citizens as well as Roh’s supporters.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr