South Korea launched a special investigation on Monday into a spiralling political funding scandal that has embarrassed President Roh Moo-hyun and engulfed the country's main opposition party.
The special counsel, established by a parliamentary vote late last year, will focus on three aides to Roh who have been implicated in illegal fundraising and other charges during the December 2002 presidential election.
The three included two of eight people affiliated with Roh who were indicted last week by regular state prosecutors, whose two-month investigation has revealed secret corporate donations to both candidates' campaigns in the 2002 race.
"We've managed to put together the big picture of the investigation so far," Special Counsel Kim Jin-heung told reporters. "We expect some difficulties in our work because it has been some time since the allegations surfaced."
The 57-year-old Roh is not a subject of the 60-day special investigation, which is being closely watched for its expected impact on a parliamentary election scheduled for April 15.
But the affair has tarnished Roh's image as a reformist who crusaded to purge South Korean politics of under-the-table payments. Roh also destabilised his government by suggesting several times he could resign over his aide's troubles.
When the eight Roh aides or donors were indicted - three for bribery and five for illegal fundraising and tax evasion - prosecutors said Roh was aware of some of the improper fundraising.
But the prosecution stopped short of pursuing Roh, citing a constitutional law that exempts sitting presidents from being charged with criminal offences other than grave crimes threatening national security.
Asked if Roh would be investigated, Kim said: "This is not the time to discuss that issue. It is something to be decided once the special counsel reviews the cases."
Roh said on December 14 he would step down and retire from politics if his party was found to have received and used more than a tenth of the illegal political funds his opponent raised in the December 2002 election campaign.
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