"An Ordinary Minister Can't Run Amok Like That"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon commented on Deputy Prosecutor General Cho Nam-gwan, who is acting Prosecutor General, requesting Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae to "revoke the (Yoon Seok-yeol Prosecutor General's suspension) order," saying, "Chu Mi-ae's eccentricity is simultaneously the will of power."
On the 30th, former professor Jin posted on Facebook sharing an article about Deputy Cho's internal network appeal to Minister Chu, stating, "I don't think that's something Chu Mi-ae can do."
He added, "The Minister of Justice is not such a great position; a mere minister cannot run wild like that alone."
He continued, "A decision has already been made somewhere, and in activist jargon, an 'order' has been given. Lee Nak-yeon is just playing the role of a wind catcher, and compared to them, even the ruling party's leader is merely an extra," he pointed out.
Former professor Jin wrote, "In fact, the Prosecutor General has become a figurehead, and the prosecution is completely controlled by their own people, so there is no need to suspend duties while bearing political burdens. Yet, seeing them push so hard like that, it seems they are greatly anxious about something."
He also wrote, "A few days ago, I said the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant case seemed decisive, and sure enough, articles are gradually coming out," adding, "Could a senior official alone delete 444 pieces of data at night, prepared to go to jail?"
He further stated, "There must be someone who passed on the information that a search and seizure would take place the next day to the executor, and that person is certainly in a position to closely monitor the prosecution's movements, as well as someone who could promise to cover up such illegal acts for the executor."
He continued, "That is why they are trying to prevent the arrest warrant. If the executor is investigated while detained, they might implicate higher-ups one after another," and "The moment the executor is arrested, the investigation's focus will naturally turn to the Blue House."
In particular, he diagnosed, "Seeing that the ruling party, government, and Blue House are all involved to protect him, it seems he is quite a high-ranking person in the Blue House," and "Moreover, since this happened from a single word of the president, they cannot help but be sensitive."
Explaining that it is a "case similar to the Ulsan mayoral election interference incident," former professor Jin evaluated, "Chu Mi-ae ignoring procedures and suspending the Prosecutor General's duties, and pushing through his disciplinary action despite all criticism and backlash, means there is an urgent situation that cannot be helped otherwise."
He added, "The president also seems to be aware of the seriousness of the situation and is roughly condoning it, just going along with what they are doing."
Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Yoon, just before his suspension on the 24th, issued supplementary instructions regarding the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office's plan to request an arrest warrant in the investigation of the alleged economic manipulation of Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1. The Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office planned to request arrest warrants for current and former officials of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on charges of obstructing audits. If the higher-ups who ordered the obstruction are revealed through the arrest investigation, the fallout is expected to spread.
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