Police chief nominee under fire for Roh slur

Jo Hyun-oh, the nominee for the position of National Police Agency chief, is under fire for a series of controversial remarks, one of which involved the suicide of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun.

“President Roh committed suicide the day after his borrowed-name bank account was found,” he was quoted by a broadcaster Friday as saying in a speech to police officers early this year.

Roh, who served as the nation’s president in 2003-2008, jumped off a cliff in his hometown last May during an ongoing investigation over a bribery scandal involving him, his family members and close acquaintances.

The remarks by Jo, the current chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, triggered a fierce response from liberal opposition parties, despite his urgent apologies.

“Jo inappropriately insulted the tragic death of the former president and should offer his official apology,” said Jeon Hyun-hee, spokesperson of the main opposition Democratic Party on Saturday.

The DP also urged President Lee Myung-bak to take back Jo’s nomination and vowed to boycott the parliamentary hearing on the NPA chief nominee on Aug. 23.