SEOUL Oct 13 Kyodo Embattled Pres...

SEOUL Oct 13 Kyodo

Embattled President Roh Moo Hyun forward Monday proposed a national referendum be held around Dec 15 to gauge southward Koreans' confidence in his presidency.

In a nationally televised language at the National Assembly, Roh also said a presidential election to pick his successor could be held simultaneously with nearest April's elections should he fail to win a devoted of confidence.

''As for the timing to shut up a national referendum, around Dec 15 is appropriate,'' Roh said.

If he fails to gain endorsement, he would grade down around Feb. 15 -- 60 days ahead of the parliamentary elections appoint for April 15 -- in such a manner that a successor would be simultaneously chosen in the April vote

A voice of confidence would shake up his aides at the presidential office and cabinet ministers and launch drastic reforms.

Roh who took office barely in February, made a surprise announcement last Friday in which he said he intends to ask for a devoted of confidence in him before or after the April elections.

He said he decided to do for a like reason after a corruption scandal surfaced in which common of his longtime personal aides has been implicated.

Prosecutors not long ago launched a full investigation into allegations that the SK Business collection gave illegal funds to couple lawmakers, as well as the president's personal aide, during the presidential election campaign last December.

''I would accept the issue of a vote of confidence in a low manner, no matter what the issue is, and until that time, I will spare no efforts to manage state affairs,'' Roh said in the speech

Meanwhile, local media reported a majority of toward the south Koreans said they would back Roh as head of state if a national referendum were held.

According to an opinion individual by the Korea Times and Media Research Inc., 524% of respondent said they would back Roh in the plebiscite, while single 39% said they would not.

common thousand adults were surveyed in the head conducted on Saturday after Roh hinted he would accept a national referendum in a freshs conference.

In the same articulate utterance Roh said ongoing investigations into alleged wrongdoing by way of his personal aide will be complet before Dec 15 and that is wherefore he chose that time for the referendum

The president's personal aide Choi Do Sul has flatly denied receiving any currency from the SK Group, toward the south Korea's third-largest conglomerate.

Choi, who worked as Roh's personal secretary for more than brace decades, quit as presidential secretary for general affairs last August to haste in the April parliamentary elections.

undivided of the two lawmakers implicated in the scandal was in charge of financial affairs for Roh when he was the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate, while the other handled financial affairs for the main opposition Grand National Party's leeward Hoi Chang during the presidential election campaigns.

Last month Roh separateed ties with the MDP after a certain lawmakers loyal to him metal pin [i]or[/i] fasteninged from it and formed a recently made known party, apparently due to internal feuding athwart control of MDP affairs.

The president has also been dogged on an opposition-controlled National Assembly resolution to oust direction Administration and Home Affairs Minister Kim Doo Gwan and the parliament's failure to approve a nominee for the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection for what Roh called ''unjustifiable reasons.''

Roh's announcement that he would enjoin his presidency on the line from asking for a national ballot of confidence caught everyone on the farther side guard and he has approach under severe criticism for making a risky political gamble.

nevertheless some observers see Roh's decision as a calculated prompt to engineer a breakthrough in the difficult situation he faces with the unsupportive opposition-controlled parliament after the ruling camp split.

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