By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter

A former aide to President Roh Moo-hyun attending the Constitutional Court’s hearing on the impeachment of the head of state, on Tuesday refused to give testimony on Roh’s alleged involvement in corruption, a key reason for Roh’s impeachment.

The hearing hit a snag when Choi Do-sul, a former presidential secretary and key fundraiser for Roh during the 2002 presidential campaigns, refused to testify following a war of nerves between Roh’s defense counsel team and those representing the National Assembly over how to proceed with witness testimony.

``I won’t give testimony, following advice from my lawyers,’’ Choi told the court’s nine justices, causing a recess only 30 minutes after the court opened the fourth impeachment hearing. The court warned of legal punishment, but the aide remained silent on questions, saying the testimony during the hearing may result in a blow to separate trials he is facing.

Choi and another Roh aide, Ahn Hee-jung _ who are on trial for charges of illegal fundraising _ were ordered to give testimony during yesterday’s hearing after Assembly attorneys demanded their testimony, saying it will be crucial to determine Roh’s involvement in corruption.

Ahn took the witness stand after a recess, but denied Roh’s involvement in illegal fundraising and other corruption cases. Ahn, also a key fundraiser for Roh during the election, made it clear that Roh wasn’t even aware of the fundraising.

The court is scheduled to determine the timing of its final verdict after questioning another former aide to Roh, Yeo Taek-soo, and Lotte Shopping president Shin Dong-in, who allegedly gave illegal funds to Roh’s election camp in 2002, on Friday.

Tuesday’s hearing opened with hot debate as Roh’s defense counsel team took issue with the Assembly side’s late submission of questions. The Assembly attorneys, led by the Assembly’s legislation of judiciary committee chairman Rep. Kim Ki-choon of the Grand National Party, were required to submit their documents earlier, but did so only early in the morning.

Even before the start of the hearing, it was widely expected that emotion would grip the hearing. Following the impressive victory in the general elections last week, the pro-government Uri Party proposed the impeachment of Roh to be resolved politically, but the opposition Grand National Party has dismissed the proposal.

The hassling between the attorneys from both sides bodes ill for anticipations that the court could make a ruling on the impeachment early.

jj@koreatimes.co.kr