Park Beom-gye "Referral of Kim Hak-ui Case to Corruption Investigation Office... Will the Public Accept the Investigation into the Freeze of Funds?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] Park Beom-gye, the nominee for Minister of Justice, said on the 25th that the allegations of illegal travel ban on former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui should be "transferred to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Department (HOCI) according to the law."

At the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly that day, Park said, "The head of HOCI has been appointed, and the process of selecting prosecutors has begun," expressing this view.

Article 25, Paragraph 2 of the HOCI Act stipulates that if an investigative agency other than HOCI discovers allegations of crimes by high-ranking officials who are prosecutors, the case must be transferred to HOCI.

Regarding the allegations of the travel ban on former Deputy Minister Kim, Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won, who prepared the emergency travel ban request at the time, is among those under investigation.

Park expressed a critical view on investigating the issues in the travel ban process itself, saying, "Can the public accept the prosecution using this case as a model of procedural justice?"

Regarding the criticism that leaked prosecution investigation materials were used as grounds for whistleblowing, he said, "If I become minister, I will look into whether it was a public interest whistleblowing and the leakage of investigation materials."

On the allegations of taxi driver assault involving Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu, he said, "It must be investigated strictly," but added, "It is said that responsibility has not yet been determined."

Park also revealed his principles regarding prosecution personnel appointments. He said, "I will respect and refine the principle of favoring criminal and trial division prosecutors that former Ministers Cho Kuk and Choo Mi-ae have continued," and added that during the personnel process, "I will listen to Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's opinions."