Yoon Seok-yeol, a presidential primary candidate of the People Power Party, visited the statue of martyr Jeon Tae-il at Beodeul Bridge (Jeon Tae-il Bridge) over Cheonggyecheon in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd. After paying silent tribute, he responded to questions from the press. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] Former Minister of Justice and Democratic Party presidential candidate Choo Mi-ae recently claimed that the alleged "prosecution request for accusation" involving former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol was "presumably a collusive plan involving Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife, as well as Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon (currently Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute), and the traces are clear."
On the 3rd, Choo posted on her Facebook, listing the circumstances one by one from April last year when she ordered an investigation into the 'media-prosecution collusion suspicion' involving former Prosecutor General Yoon, Deputy Director Han, and a Channel A reporter.
She said, "April 2 last year was the day I, as Minister of Justice, ordered a fact-finding investigation regarding the Channel A reporter's extortion case report," and explained, "On March 31 last year, there was a report about a tip-off that said, 'Tell Yoo Si-min, the former chairman, that money was given, and we will take care of the next steps,' which was an extortion attempt against Lee Cheol, former VIK representative. In response, I ordered a fact-finding investigation for inspection."
She continued, "The very next day, April 1, it was confirmed that former Prosecutor General Yoon and Prosecutor Han had 17 phone calls, and there were 45 group chat messages exchanged among spokesperson Kwon Soon-jung, who can be considered Yoon's mouthpiece, investigation information policy officer Son Joon-sung, who acted as his eyes and ears, and Prosecutor Han, who played the brain role."
She added, "Then on April 2, there were 17 phone calls between former Prosecutor General Yoon and Prosecutor Han, and 30 messages exchanged in the group chat among Han Dong-hoon, Kwon Soon-jung, and Son Joon-sung. Coincidentally, the commissioned accusation revealed by News Bus yesterday took place on April 3."
Choo estimated, "Even after that, a significant amount of communication continued via KakaoTalk and phone calls. If it was related to the commissioned accusation, Prosecutor Han's desperate refusal to provide his phone password and to block the search is likely not unrelated."
She also said, "Under former Prosecutor General Yoon's command, Han Dong-hoon first used the Investigation Information Policy Office to carry out the first 'Yoo Si-min framing operation,' but when it was exposed by a whistleblower's tip, they appear to have used Investigation Information Policy Officer Son Joon-sung to conduct a second commissioned accusation operation."
Choo Mi-ae, a presidential primary candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a press conference on presidential campaign pledges at the National Assembly Communication Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 24th of last month, stating, "We will establish the National Sabbatical System, an income guarantee system by working age group, and the 'Sanopse' (a world where people are valued) allowance." [Image source=Yonhap News]
She continued, "According to the 'disciplinary decision document' against former Prosecutor General Yoon, Prosecutor Han had nine phone calls with Kim Geon-hee around this time over four months, and 397 calls with former Prosecutor General Yoon," adding, "Also, over three months, Prosecutor Han exchanged 332 KakaoTalk messages with Kim and 2,330 with former Prosecutor General Yoon."
She urged, "Why a subordinate working in the provinces had an average of 100 phone calls per month with his superior and exchanged hundreds of messages with his wife must be clearly revealed in connection with the conspiracy of these cases," and called on, "The Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department should immediately secure evidence, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials should start investigations before evidence is destroyed."
Meanwhile, former Prosecutor General Yoon, after visiting the Korea Christian Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the same day, told reporters, "I have never ordered a prosecution request for accusation, nor do I have any reason to do so," and rebutted, "The very idea of commissioning an accusation is against common sense."
He raised his voice, saying, "If the investigation proves my innocence, politicians who have attacked me with accusations of responsibility and conspiracies should step down in front of the public."
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