Jeong Jin-seok, a member of the United Future Party, speaking at the emergency committee chairman-senior lawmaker meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of June 10. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Yeonju Kim] On the 7th, Jeong Jin-seok, a member of the Future United Party, sharply clashed with Park Joo-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, after urging President Moon Jae-in to "stop at this point" regarding the so-called 'collusion between the press and power' allegations and the launch of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HOCI). Park responded by saying, "Watch your words."
Jeong said in a post on his Facebook that day, "What the democratization forces want is the enjoyment of unchecked power that they tried to overthrow."
He criticized, "Since the Moon Jae-in administration took office, it has not appointed a 'Special Inspector' to oversee the president and key figures in the Blue House," adding, "President Moon, who found even small monitoring mechanisms burdensome, is dodging the issue by asking the opposition party why they oppose the HOCI, an organization that monitors presidential power."
He continued, "The prosecution, which always made the ruling power tremble, will be reduced to a hollow investigative agency investigating only level 4 public officials once the HOCI is launched," and claimed, "The proud spirit and history of the prosecution are being thrown into the trash."
He further questioned, "At this rate, the HOCI will be launched during the August National Assembly session or at the latest during the September regular session," and asked, "Once the HOCI is launched, can the core figures of the Blue House involved in the Ulsan election fraud and their superiors sleep soundly?"
Finally, "Stop at this point. What do you expect by pushing the opposition party and pouring punitive 'tax bombs' on those who do not support the president?" he said, adding, "We did not give 176 seats in the last general election to watch this administration’s arrogant and insolent governance."
In response, Park Joo-min said, "Jeong Jin-seok, please watch your words," and retorted, "Are you advising the president to stop everything he is doing now and saying that is 'the best way to prepare for post-retirement'? Are you threatening the president?"
Park continued, "Also, when former President Roh Moo-hyun passed away and the Bongha Village was being established, you speak as if you helped generously, but do you really not know why and because of whom President Roh passed away?" expressing anger.
He added, "You talk as if the Moon Jae-in government introduced the HOCI for some other purpose, but that is not true. The HOCI was discussed even before the Kim Dae-jung administration took office in 1996. That was 24 years ago."
Finally, he emphasized, "What on earth are you trying to do? No matter how different the ruling and opposition parties are, there are things you can say and things you should not say. Are you really going to continue like this?"
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