野 "Choo Mi-ae turned the prosecution into a despicable dog... shameless"

People Power Party Reiterates Call for Special Prosecutor
Choo Mi-ae: "Supreme Prosecutors' Office Deceived the Public... Yoon Seok-yeol Should Have Apologized"

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is attending the joint meeting of the Emergency Response Committee Chairman and senior lawmakers held at the National Assembly on the 21st, delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] The People Power Party strongly criticized Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae on the 21st for exercising her authority to direct investigations into Lime Asset Management's lobbying allegations and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's family and associates' suspicion cases, saying she "turned the prosecution into a miserable dog that only looks to the regime."

Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, mentioned Minister Choo's exercise of investigative authority during a senior lawmakers' joint meeting held at the National Assembly that morning, stating, "There is no other way but a special prosecutor (Special Investigation) to make the public accept it."

Chairman Kim pointed out, "(The prosecution) are supposed to focus on investigations according to the law, but it sounds as if there are government prosecutors and non-government prosecutors separately," adding, "In this situation, I think almost no one believes that objective investigations will be conducted just because the Minister of Justice exercises investigative authority to direct this case."

He continued, "It is hard to understand why the President, as the appointing authority, is so indifferent to the conflict structure occurring between the Prosecutor General and the Minister of Justice," emphasizing, "The President should order a special prosecutor to clearly reveal the facts of this case."

Assemblyman Jeong Jin-seok from the same party also raised his voice for the introduction of a special prosecutor. He said, "The Justice Minister, full of stubbornness, is committing an unprecedented and bizarre act that nullifies the prosecution's investigation," and criticized, "The people want the truth to be revealed in detail, but (Minister Choo) shamelessly commits acts contrary to the people's will."

He stressed, "There is no alternative but a special prosecutor," and added, "The ruling party, the Blue House, and the Minister of Justice must realize that the special prosecutor's investigation is the solemn command of the people."

People Power Party lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun also criticized the government, mentioning Minister Choo's exercise of investigative authority along with the Board of Audit and Inspection's audit results on the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1, the economic recession, and the Cho Kuk controversy, saying, "We are witnessing the terminal symptoms of the N-po regime."

Lawmaker Kim said, "(The government) only shows a reckless attitude of hiding its own flaws and covering the eyes and ears of the people," and declared, "The reckless regime is showing terminal symptoms. Our people are clearly seeing that fact."

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is arriving at the Ministry of Justice in the Government Complex Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 19th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Minister Choo referred to the prosecution's investigation into Kim Bong-hyun, the former chairman of Star Mobility and a key figure in the Lime scandal, urging the opposition party and the media to "first target the Supreme Prosecutors' Office that deceived the people."

Through her Facebook, she said, "I hoped that there would be even a single moment of sincerity in 'prosecutorial reform.' However, such expectations and trust have collapsed, and I am truly disappointed," and criticized, "Before blindly criticizing that 'the minister exercised investigative authority over the Prosecutor General based on a single letter from a swindler,' the opposition and the media should first target the Supreme Prosecutors' Office that deceived the people."

She added, "Before the Prosecutor General gets angry and calls it 'slander,' whether he knew or not, as a commander, he should have first expressed reflection and apology," she pointed out.