[2020 National Audit] Rep. Yoo Sang-beom "No responsibility of Lime·Optimus heads, but Minister directs investigation"

Park Soon-chul, Head of Southern District Prosecutors' Office, "No Lobby Testimonies or Reports in Investigation Records"

Yoo Sang-beom, member of the People Power Party.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Yoo Sang-beom, a member of the People Power Party, strongly criticized that Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol did not intervene in the investigations of the Lime and Optimus cases and was not responsible for the delay in the investigations, yet Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae issued investigative directives excluding the prosecution general’s authority to supervise the investigations.

Park Soon-cheol, head of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office investigating the Lime Asset Management case, testified that after checking with the investigation team, there were no investigation records such as statements related to lobbying targeting prosecutors.

At the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s audit of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office and its subordinate prosecutors' offices held on the 19th, Representative Yoo asked Park, who is responsible for the Lime case investigation, "Does the Prosecutor General get involved in summoning and investigating suspects?"

Park replied, "Regarding specific cases..." implying that the Prosecutor General does not intervene.

Yoo then asked, "When dispatching prosecutors, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and the Southern District Prosecutors' Office decide through consultation and get the minister’s approval, right? The Prosecutor General does not decide dispatch alone, right?" Park answered, "Dispatch requires the minister’s approval."

Yoo asked, "There are reports that the Prosecutor General was informed of specific misconduct by a prominent opposition politician. Is there any talk that the Prosecutor General specifically instructed not to investigate this case or to reduce the scope of the investigation?"

Park responded, "The investigation proceeded from May to August. Based on that, it seems such a thing did not happen."

When asked, "When did you learn about the tip-off regarding prosecutors’ bribery lobbying?" Park answered, "I learned about it from the news report last Friday."

Yoo asked, "Was there any tip-off or statement in the investigation records before that?" Park replied, "After the article was published, we internally checked with the investigation team and as far as I know, there was no mention related to prosecutors’ corruption in connection with the Lime incident."

When Yoo asked, "Apart from the Prosecutor General’s supervisory report on this case, nothing else influenced the investigation, right?" Park said, "I don’t know the specific details well." Yoo asked again, "Was there anything while the chief prosecutor was present?"

Park said, "After the report on August 31, there was nothing special."

Later, Yoo asked Lee Sung-yoon, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigating the Optimus case, "There have been various issues raised regarding the Prosecutor General himself, his family, and close associates, and despite a long investigation, the substance of the case has not been clarified. The investigation is proceeding under your responsibility, right?" Lee answered, "Yes."

Yoo pointed out, "As you know, you have always been in conflict with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, and you have received much trust from the minister by remaining in your position in this personnel reshuffle," then asked, "You are not related to this case, right? Is there any responsibility on the Prosecutor General’s part for the delay in clarifying the substance of this case?"

Lee avoided answering the question directly and said, "We are investigating without any consideration."

Yoo emphasized, "Both the Southern District Prosecutors' Office chief and the Central District Prosecutors' Office chief are conducting this investigation, and it is being carried out under their responsibility. The Prosecutor General has not been involved at all."

He continued, "Yet suddenly, the minister issued investigative directives excluding the Prosecutor General’s supervisory authority under Article 12 of the Prosecutors' Office Act for these two cases. Why on earth is that? Why does the minister issue investigative directives excluding the Prosecutor General’s authority when there is no fault at all?" emphasizing the unfairness of Minister Choo’s investigative directives issued that day.

Finally, Yoo asked Cho Sang-chul, head of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, "Please share your position on this situation." Cho avoided a direct answer, saying, "I just learned about it suddenly a moment ago..." and replied, "I think the situation itself is very regrettable."

On that day, through investigative directives concerning Prosecutor General Yoon, Minister Choo excluded the Prosecutor General’s supervisory authority and ordered to only receive reports on the investigation results for five cases: ▲ the Lime Asset Management case involving prosecutors and politicians’ misconduct and allegations of cover-up and fabricated investigations ▲ the bribery case under the name of sponsorship related to Cobana Co., Ltd. ▲ the Deutsche Motors stock price manipulation and preferential stock trading allegations related to Deutsche Financial ▲ the illegal medical institution establishment and fraudulent nursing care benefit claims related to nursing hospital operations, and allegations of case dismissal and other investment-related complaints ▲ the bribery case involving the former Yongsan Tax Office chief and allegations of case dismissal including the rejection of search warrants and non-prosecution.