People Power Party: "Prosecutors' Office Yoon Seok-yeol Investigation? We Will Observe Its Legitimacy and Judge Accordingly"

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol adjusts his mask while attending the opening ceremony of Namsan Yejang Park and the Lee Hoe-young Memorial Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 9th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Bo-ryeong] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (PCC) has launched an investigation into former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who is considered a leading presidential candidate. The People Power Party criticized this, saying it reveals "the regime's obsession with the PCC and its grand scheme."

On the 10th, Bae Jun-young, spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary, "From now on, the public and history will closely watch and judge whether the PCC's actions are 'legitimate law enforcement' or 'an improper choice and focus.'"

According to the legal community, the PCC formally registered former Prosecutor General Yoon on the 4th on charges including abuse of power and obstruction of rights. The PCC decided to investigate two complaints related to Yoon's abuse of power: the non-prosecution of the 'Optimus case' and the obstruction of investigation and prosecution in the case of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook's alleged witness tampering.

Spokesperson Bae said, "It is quite strange that the PCC, which took over three months to select its 'first investigation case,' announced it would start investigating former Prosecutor General Yoon, whom the ruling party leader called 'a betrayer of President Moon Jae-in's grace,' just one day after Yoon appeared in public." He added, "Of course, law enforcement should be impartial, but given the PCC's forced launch, the appointment of pro-government figures to key prosecutorial positions, and the Supreme Court Chief Justice's biased judicial administration?all recent moves by the regime?public suspicion is high."

He continued, "The legal community's consensus is that both the poor investigation of the Optimus case and the obstruction of the former Prime Minister's case investigation are hard to accept." He pointed out, "Last year, Minister Chu Mi-ae ordered an inspection of the Optimus case, but there was no significant intervention, and it fizzled out. Similarly, Minister Park Beom-gye ordered a joint inspection of the former Prime Minister's case, but the investigation team found no charges, and the same conclusion was reached at meetings of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the High Prosecutors' Office."

Spokesperson Bae also expressed concern, saying, "Now, those who fall out of favor with the regime may have their fate decided merely by accusations from pro-government organizations."