ROK raps DPRK's denunciation of prime minister nominee

SEOUL - Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday expressed regrets over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s denunciation of ROK's prime minister nominee via media reports.

Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-choel told a press briefing that it was very regrettable for the DPRK to denounce prime minister nominee Lee Wan-koo by distorting details on him, which is an internal matter of the ROK's society.

His comments came after the DPRK's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun criticized Lee for various corruption citing ROK's media reports.

Local media reported that Lee, former floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, was involved in alleged speculation in real estates and attempt to help his son avoid mandatory military service.

Opposition lawmakers disclosed a recording of Lee, who is under parliamentary confirmation hearing, talking with local media reporters. During the talks, Lee claimed he made several journalists professors or presidents of universities based on his personal friendships with them.

The spokesman said the two Koreas have agreed to stop intervening in internal affairs and slandering each other, noting that the confirmation hearing on the prime minister nominee is ROK's internal affair.

Touching on the DPRK's verbal attack against former ROK's president Lee Myung-bak, Lim said that such criticism against a former head of state would never be desirable for inter- Korean relations, calling on Pyongyang to stop such denunciation immediately.

Former President Lee published a memoir on his five-year presidency from 2008, saying the DPRK proposed inter-Korean summit several times and demanded economic aid in return for the summit.