By Sohn Suk-joo
Staff Reporter

Amid escalating suspicions over the death of a policeman assigned to guard the presidential compound, the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) yesterday called for a parliamentary probe into the incident, alleging that the case may have been a murder which was covered up to protect high-ranking police officers and Chong Wa Dae security personnel.

A l0-man party committee, which was set up to investigate the incident, said it is necessary to bring the truth behind the incident to light because it is directly related to the security of the head of state.

"While police authorities contend that the probe into the incident was conducted in a fair manner, evidence to the contrary has surfaced again and again. The shooting incident is confirmed to have occurred only 30 to 40 meters away from the presidential office," said Rep. Kim Won-wung, head of the special committee, who disclosed a letter on Wednesday that was allegedly sent from a self-claimed Chong Wa Dae security official.

Questioned about the incident during the interpellation session of the Assembly? Budget and Accounts Committee, Lee Moo-young, commissioner-general of the National Police Agency, acknowledged that the occurrence took place at a guard post inside the presidential compound and that it was not an accidental, but rather, as a shooting incident.

Lee, however, denied allegations that high-ranking police officers and Chong Wa Dae security officials had a secret meeting right after the incident in an attempt to fabricate the details to the case.

Meanwhile, the victim? father yesterday held a press conference at the room of Rep. Kim and raised suspicions about the cause of death of his son. He said that the police investigation team ignored the family? repeated call to identify the fingerprints left on the pistol and bullets, which were believed to have killed the policeman.