[2020 National Audit] Yoon Seok-yeol's 'Determined Remarks' Ignite Fierce Early Exchange Between Ruling and Opposition at Supreme Prosecutors' Office Hearing

Dispute Over Prosecutor General Yoon's Response Attitude and Evidence Submission Rules
Contention Over Witness Adoption of Song Sam-hyun, Southern District Prosecutor's Office Chief

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is responding at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office audit held at the National Assembly on the 22nd.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] On the 22nd, during the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee's inspection of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, a heated exchange occurred between ruling and opposition party lawmakers over Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's 'blunt remarks' and his attitude in responding, as well as issues regarding witness requests.

At the National Assembly inspection, which began at 10 a.m. that day, Prosecutor General Yoon first conveyed that he had received a report just before the inspection that Park Soon-cheol, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, had posted on the internal network that "politics has covered up the prosecution" and had expressed his intention to resign.

Subsequently, opposition lawmakers raised concerns about the reporting process of misconduct by opposition politicians that surfaced during investigations into the Lime and Optimus cases. They requested the submission of materials related to the confidential Supreme Prosecutors' Office regulation, the "Guidelines on Procedures for Investigating Corruption Crimes." In response, Prosecutor General Yoon said he would consult with his aides to review whether disclosure was possible and later stated that the materials would be submitted by the afternoon.

Prosecutor General Yoon explained his position in relatively detailed terms regarding the personnel process involving Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and the investigation reporting process in response to lawmakers' questions. Opposition lawmakers criticized this attitude in his responses.

Democratic Party lawmaker So Byung-chul said, "Prosecutor General Yoon first mentioned that Chief Prosecutor Park Soon-cheol had submitted his resignation and specifically quoted the phrase 'politics has covered up the prosecution.' Then he spoke about personnel issues and matters related to Heo In-hoe. While it might be accidental once, answering like this three times is problematic. When a lawmaker asks for three minutes, but the Prosecutor General answers for seven or ten minutes, the inspection cannot proceed normally," he protested to the committee chair.

In response, People Power Party lawmaker Jang Je-won said, "Minister Choo Mi-ae was much worse, not responding even after her name was called three times during questioning and making remarks like 'You're writing fiction.' Right now, Prosecutor General Yoon immediately sat up straight when lawmaker Park Beom-gye told him to 'sit properly' and is answering questions sincerely," he rebutted.

He added, "Compared to Minister Choo's attitude in responding, this is tens of times better," and requested, "Chairman, please clearly point out Minister Choo's attitude during the comprehensive inspection."

Ruling and opposition lawmakers also engaged in a heated debate over the issue of witness adoption.

Kim Do-eup, the People Power Party's secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, said that regarding reports related to opposition lawmakers, "If the ruling and opposition parties agree even during the afternoon inspection, it seems possible to call former Southern District Prosecutor Song Sam-hyun as a witness to ask questions directly," and asked the ruling party for a response.

However, Baek Hye-ryun, the Democratic Party's secretary, stated, "I have been active in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for five years, but I have never seen a witness requested during the inspection," expressing the view that the opposition's request for witness adoption has political motives.

Baek argued, "Requesting to adopt former Prosecutor Song as a witness seems intended to raise the issue of Minister Choo's investigative directive authority. The fact that the report was made in May was admitted by the Prosecutor General, so what else would we ask former Prosecutor Song if we call him?"

On the other hand, from the same party, lawmaker Park Beom-gye said, "If necessary, calling former Prosecutor Song or former Chairman Kim Bong-hyun might be difficult today, but extending the comprehensive inspection on Monday or other methods to clarify points that the public is curious about would also be good," expressing his opinion.