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A special parliamentary committee investigating allegations that the nation's intelligence
agency meddled in last year's presidential election convened another meeting Wednesday,
but key witnesses summoned for the day failed to show up.
But, as our political correspondent Kim Yeon-ji reports, the two men will have no choice but
to appear on Friday. The witness stands were empty and remained that way, prompting Wednesday's
hearing to fall apart. Former National Intelligence Service chief
Won Sei-hoon and former Seoul Metropolitan Police chief Kim Yong-pan. the two figures
on top of the witness list for the probe. were no-shows.
Won was indicted on charges of ordering his agents to post negative comments online about
opposition presidential candidates before the December election.
Kim stands accused of whitewashing a police probe into the scandal.
Won and Kim notified the National Assembly earlier that they wouldn't be attending the
hearing. citing poor health and time conflicts as their respective reasons.
However, the chairman of the parliamentary committee investigating the charges against
them said those were not convincing reasons to skip the hearing.
In response to the stalemate and lack of progress in the hearing, opposition lawmakers said
Wednesday the National Assembly should issue a warrant to force Won and Kim to come in.
But ruling party lawmakers disagreed, saying there is no legal justification to force the
two to take the witness stand at the National Assembly.
To resolve the impasse, the committee put the matter to a vote.
All nine opposition lawmakers, including the committee chairman, voted in favor of issuing
a warrant. Five ruling party lawmakers voted against,
while two ruling party members abstained. As a result of the vote, the National Assembly
will issue a warrant to bring in Won and Kim on Friday.
"The parliamentary probe into the charges against them ends next Friday, but it has
not yet produced any tangible outcome." Kim Yeon-ji, Arirang News.