The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday defended its claim to the NT$240 million (US$7 million) People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) deposited with the Taipei District Court in 2000. The party plans to hire accountants and lawyers to contest Soong’s assertion that the money is his and not the party’s.
KMT spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) quoted KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) as saying the party was interested less in the money than it was in obtaining a public explanation from Soong.
Su said that while Soong had previously said the money belonged to the KMT, he now appeared to have changed his mind. King has proposed hiring experts to determine the ownership of the money.
“If the money is Mr Soong’s, he can take it; but if it is not his, then the KMT will donate it to charities ... What we are asking here is for an open and transparent legal procedure. Not a single penny will go to the party coffers,” Su quoted King as saying.
Su said that the proposal was not intended to disrespect Soong, but to maintain the image of the party.
Soong deposited the money to prove his innocence after former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), in his capacity as then-KMT chairman, accused him of embezzling the funds from an account set up by the party to provide for the family of late president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國).
The KMT later filed a lawsuit against Soong over his alleged embezzlement. Soong deposited the balance of the account with the court, designating “KMT chairman Lee Teng-hui” the individual entitled to withdraw the money.
Prosecutors later dropped all charges against Soong, but the funds remained with the court until Lee agreed earlier this year to settle the issue and allow Soong to claim the money.
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