S. Korean presidential candidate faces fraud investigation

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- The run up to South Korea's presidential election on Wednesday has been thrown into disarray by parliament's decision to approve a new investigation into allegations of fraud against the country's leading candidate.

Conservative candidate Lee Myung-bak had more than double the support of his nearest rival -- Chung Dong-young of the liberal United New Democratic Party (UNDP) which voted for the investigation Monday -- according to a final round of opinion polls taken last week.

Analysts said the parliamentary decision could dent the vote for Lee but would not disrupt his march for the presidency.

"Lee will likely win the election by a narrower margin than expected," said Kang Won-taek, a political scientist at Seoul's Soongsil University.

The Justice Ministry declined Monday to reopen an investigation into the fraud allegations due to the looming parliamentary vote.

President Roh Moo-hyun had asked Justice Minister Chung Soung-jin on Sunday to consider reopening the case against conservative candidate Lee Myung-bak following the disclosure of a video of Lee saying he established a company at the heart of an alleged financial scandal.

Prosecutors had already earlier this month cleared Lee of wrongdoing in a stock price manipulation case surrounding a former business associate.

Unsatisfied with that finding, the liberal UNDP called for an independent counsel on the case. E-mail to a friend

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