[2020 National Audit] Jang Je-won Attacks Choo Mi-ae Using Video of Kim Jong-min and Song Ki-heon’s ‘180-Degree Changed Statements’

"Typical Targeted Investigation" · "Unrelated to Prosecutor Yoon" Past Statement Video Playback
"I Raised Suspicions During the Confirmation Hearing but Couldn't Find a Link to Prosecutor Yoon"
"Petty Investigation Command to Oust Prosecutor Yoon, Civilian Dictatorship"

Jang Je-won, member of the People Power Party.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] On the 22nd, at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s National Audit of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Jang Je-won, a member of the People Power Party, refuted point by point the allegations related to Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol’s family and close associates, which formed the basis of Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae’s recent investigative directives, by showing videos of past statements made by Democratic Party lawmakers during Yoon’s confirmation hearing.

Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Jong-min and Song Ki-heon were left speechless and could only watch silently as videos of their past statements denying any connection between Yoon and the allegations were played during the audit, creating an embarrassing situation.

During the supplementary questioning in the afternoon, Rep. Jang said, “I believe it is most important to inform the public about how wrong the Ministry of Justice’s abuse of investigative directive authority is during this year’s Supreme Prosecutors' Office audit,” emphasizing, “This seriously undermines the neutrality and independence of the prosecution.”

He added, “It is dictatorship under the guise of democratic control. That is how I see it.”

He continued, “The Minister of Justice’s investigative directive authority should be used very sparingly and restrictively, based on clear evidence,” and stressed, “Germany is the originator of investigative directive authority, but historically it has never been exercised even once, France abolished it in 2013, and Italy did so in 1948.”

Rep. Jang said, “I want to talk about the allegations related to Prosecutor General Yoon’s family that formed the basis of Minister Choo’s second investigative directive,” adding, “I hold the copyright on the allegations related to Yoon’s family. When Yoon was the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, I once had a dispute with him over this issue.”

He recalled, “So I focused on this issue during the confirmation hearing. But since I couldn’t find any connection involving Yoon, I can say this now,” and added, “Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a link between Yoon and the mother-in-law’s case, so I said, ‘I will not ask questions about this today.’”

Afterwards, Rep. Jang played videos of past Democratic Party lawmakers explaining the three allegations related to Yoon’s family and one related to his close associates, which Minister Choo cited as grounds for the investigative directive, and explained each one.

Through footage and court rulings where Democratic Party lawmakers themselves described the allegations as unfair, he indirectly proved that Minister Choo’s investigative directive was unjust.

Regarding the allegation of bribery under the name of sponsorship from Covana Co., Ltd., operated by Yoon’s wife, Rep. Jang displayed a past video of Kim Jong-min making the same statement, saying, “The company that received the sponsorship was a media company, not the spouse.”

On the allegation related to Deutsche Motors, Rep. Jang said, “There was an MBC report stating that the Financial Supervisory Service’s investigation and the police’s internal report showed that it was not even a subject of investigation,” and played the MBC news footage from that time.

He pointed out, “This matter has already been closed by the Financial Supervisory Service and others, but it is being brought up again,” calling it “an attempt to cover up.”

Regarding the allegation about Yoon’s mother-in-law’s operation of a nursing hospital, he explained, “It is basically already in the mother-in-law’s court ruling,” and added, “Rather, the mother-in-law was a victim of fraud and suffered losses, which led her to resign as chairperson.”

Finally, on the allegation related to Yoon’s close associate, Yoon Dae-jin, deputy head of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, who is the brother of the former Yongsan Tax Office chief, Rep. Jang said, “This incident broke out around 11:40 during the confirmation hearing, everyone remembers, right?” and emphasized, “It was proven that a lawyer was not introduced.”

Rep. Jang said, “Who proved this? Song Ki-heon proved it,” and played the past video again.

In the video, Rep. Song said, “The former Yongsan Tax Office chief case is a typical targeted investigation. It is one of the worst types of recognition investigations. The former tax office chief has nothing to do with the witness. He said, ‘Why do you keep asking about someone unrelated to the witness?’”

The video of Rep. Kim Jong-min followed. Rep. Kim said, “There is the former Yongsan Tax Office chief case. I have looked at the materials about ten times,” and added, “It has nothing to do with candidate Yoon Seok-yeol…”

Rep. Jang remarked, “He said he looked at the materials ten times. It’s clearly a targeted investigation,” and criticized, “Democratic Party lawmakers have thoroughly researched and studied various allegations and fully explained and cleared them up.”

He then questioned, “Moreover, if these cases are problematic, shouldn’t the Blue House apologize and hold accountable the then Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, Cho Kuk, who failed in the personnel verification of the Prosecutor General?”

Rep. Jang asked again, “Look at this. How much of an abuse of investigative directive authority is this? To insult the Prosecutor General, to cover up family cases, and to use such petty methods to remove Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol? is this democratic control or dictatorship?”

He emphasized, “In this way, the Ministry of Justice is abusing investigative directive authority under the pretext of democratic control to remove Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol by petty means. I believe this is civilian dictatorship.”