Jung Se-kyun: "Yoon Seok-yeol Seems More Like a Politician Than an Administrator... Inappropriate Attitude"

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun is speaking about the supplementary budget and disaster relief funds at the 2nd High-level Party-Government Consultation held at the National Assembly on the 28th of last month. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on the 3rd criticized Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's public opposition through media interviews against the ruling party's push for the establishment of the Serious Crime Investigation Office (Jungsucheong), saying, "Watching what he does, he seems like a politician. It is inappropriate."

On the same day, on TBS Radio's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory,' Prime Minister Chung said, "Although it was not something I did, I think the public will feel very uncomfortable about this situation."

He continued, "The prosecution is also part of the executive branch. Although I do not command or supervise them, I feel sorry that the executive branch is causing discomfort to the people," adding, "Our Prosecutor General Yoon is the administrative head, isn't he? Administration and politics clearly have different cultures, and the methods and content of their execution should differ, but (Prosecutor General Yoon) seems like a politician rather than an ordinary administrator or public official."

He further stated, "When the government intends to legislate something related to the prosecution, it is proper to discuss it with the National Assembly," and evaluated, "I saw yesterday that (Prosecutor General Yoon) spoke to two daily newspapers. Is this the attitude of an administrator? It is inappropriate."

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 24th of last month. Photo by Yonhap News

Additionally, Prime Minister Chung said, "The separation of investigation and prosecution is advantageous for human rights protection, and most countries separate investigation and prosecution regardless of their form, which is common knowledge as far as I know," and pointed out, "In the case of the Republic of Korea, if the prosecution had protected human rights well and served the people properly under the current system, there would be no reason for various demands. Everyone knows well how the prosecution has acted so far, and the majority of the people demand, 'This cannot continue, prosecute reform is needed.'

Earlier, Prosecutor General Yoon publicly criticized the establishment of Jungsucheong on the 1st as 'the destruction of the rule of law,' saying, "'The complete deprivation of prosecutorial investigative authority' provides extraterritoriality to powerful forces in political, economic, and social fields, which is a regression of democracy and a destruction of the constitutional spirit."

He went on to say, "The legislation currently being promoted is the dismantling of the prosecution," and pointed out, "Our society, which has steadily developed democracy, is facing a crisis where it is regressing and constitutional values are being denied."