Kim Do-eup: "Let's Have Chu Mi-ae and Yoon Seok-yeol Appear Together at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to Clarify Suspicions"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Do-eup, the floor leader of the United Future Party on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, demanded that the Democratic Party of Korea have Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol appear together before the committee.

On the 9th, Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office with United Future Party members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, stating, "Chairman Yoon Ho-jung of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee should not block the convening of the plenary session and should promptly hold a plenary session to have Minister Chu and Prosecutor General Yoon appear together." Previously, Kim had requested Chairman Yoon to convene the committee and have Prosecutor General Yoon appear, but Chairman Yoon refused to hold the committee meeting.

Regarding this, Kim said, "If it is true that Choi Kang-wook, leader of the Open Democratic Party and a defendant in the Channel A reporter case, received a draft statement of Minister Chu’s position on the investigation command from the minister’s side concerning this case, then Minister Chu’s investigation command has lost its fairness," adding, "We intend to have Minister Chu and Prosecutor General Yoon appear together before the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to clearly clarify the facts regarding various suspicions."

In response to criticism that it is problematic for the Prosecutor General to comment on an ongoing investigation, Kim explained, "We are not discussing the substance of the ongoing investigation," and added, "The investigation should proceed as it is, but what we are asking is about the process in which the Minister of Justice infringed upon the Prosecutor General’s investigative authority."

They also condemned the suspicion that internal discussions within the Ministry of Justice were leaked to Leader Choi. Assemblywoman Jo Su-jin said, "Minister Chu and Leader Choi must clarify how the unpublished draft from the Ministry of Justice was leaked," adding, "The leak of an official government document to a specific individual is the essence of state manipulation, and while it is serious if done by 'unofficial channels,' it is even more serious if done by 'official channels.'"

She stated, "It is shocking that Leader Choi, who is currently on trial for obstruction of business due to issuing a false internship certificate for the son of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, was organizationally involved in the attempt to strip the Prosecutor General’s investigative authority to oust him," and criticized, "If Leader Choi’s claim that it was 'a transcription of something glanced at' is true, it shows the utter breakdown of discipline in the Moon Jae-in administration."

Despite criticism that "there is no precedent for calling the Prosecutor General to hear testimony," Assemblywoman Jo rebutted, "Former Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il appeared regarding current issues, and Prosecutor General Yoon also appeared as a witness at a hearing in 2013," adding, "While Baek Hye-ryun, the ruling party floor leader, claims that hearing the Prosecutor General’s answers undermines political neutrality, it is the Minister of Justice and the ruling party who undermine political neutrality."

Assemblyman Yoo Sang-beom said, "It is absolutely unacceptable for the Minister of Justice, who is responsible for the judiciary, and their staff to share the announcement content with Leader Choi, who is a criminal defendant," and pointed out, "We do not know the nature of the relationship between the two (Chu Mi-ae and Choi Kang-wook), but the fact that the press release was shared is an extremely suspicious relationship."