[2021 National Audit] Kim Yong-min "Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Incident Also Suspected of Prosecution Solicitation"... Park Beom-gye "Will Investigate"

Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye is responding during the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit of the Ministry of Justice on the 5th. / Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] Amid the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HCIA) investigating the 'complaint instigation' allegations by the Yoon Seok-yeol prosecution against pro-government politicians, suspicions have been raised at the Ministry of Justice's National Assembly audit held on the 5th that the 'Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant' case, for which indictments have already been made against related parties, might also have been a target of the prosecution's complaint instigation.

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min responded to these allegations by stating that Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye also said, "I have very serious doubts about this," and "An investigation on this matter is planned," signaling expected repercussions.

During the afternoon questioning session of the Ministry of Justice's National Assembly audit conducted by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Lawmaker Kim opened by saying, "While organizing the complaint instigation case by date, a very significant suspicion became apparent."

He pointed out that numerous phone calls occurred between former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon on April 1 and 2 of last year, immediately after MBC's report on the 'Channel A Coercion Attempt' case on March 31 of the same year, and that several KakaoTalk messages were exchanged among Son Jun-sung, then the Policy Officer for Investigation Information at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and spokespersons.

Lawmaker Kim said, "Looking at the call logs and messages on April 1 and 2, just before the first complaint instigation on April 3, it is reasonable to see that instead of defending against an incident, they were contacting each other in the process of fabricating something," adding, "It seems they quickly and closely prepared the complaint instigation."

He then pointed out the second complaint instigation, the filing of complaints by civic groups and the People Power Party, and the fact that actual indictments followed, asserting, "Was this really just one case? Did it really end here? It appears not."

Lawmaker Kim recalled, "Until April 2020, when the first and second complaint instigations occurred, it is highly likely that the People Power Party and Prosecutor General Yoon's Supreme Prosecutors' Office did not have a high level of trust," adding, "(Yoon) was remembered as the person who had arrested President Park Geun-hye, and during the investigation related to Cho Kuk's confirmation hearing, the People Power Party was considering whether they could work together with us."

He continued, "However, seeing the actual indictment in the case of lawmaker Choi Kang-wook's complaint, it seems that the People Power Party might have come to trust Yoon Seok-yeol's prosecution," he pointed out.

Subsequently, Lawmaker Kim claimed that the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant case is another example suspected of being a complaint instigation by the prosecution.

He said, "The next complaint instigation suspicion can be raised regarding the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant case," adding, "This case is very suspicious."

Lawmaker Kim explained, "On October 20, 2020, the Board of Audit and Inspection announced the audit results, and on October 22, the Board sent investigation materials to the prosecution. The next day, the People Power Party filed a complaint against Minister Baek Woon-gyu and others at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office," adding, "It was during the National Assembly audit, so when did they have time to prepare the complaint?"

He continued, "On October 23, there were reports that Lee Sang-hyun, head prosecutor of the 5th Criminal Division at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office and a close aide of Prosecutor General Yoon, was seen going back and forth around Seocho-dong, suspected to have visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office," recalling, "On October 29, Prosecutor General Yoon visited the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office, and Lee Sang-hyun was assigned this case, which proceeded with an extremely rapid investigation."

Lawmaker Kim emphasized, "The prosecution indicted on July 1, 2021," and said, "Looking at the series of events, suspicions arise that this was another complaint instigation. It is very suspicious."

He added, "I have repeatedly requested the submission of materials because it is hard to believe that the People Power Party could have prepared the complaint with only the information from the audit results announced on October 22. If additional information beyond what was reported in the media was included in the complaint, anyone can reasonably infer that the prosecution prepared it, so verifying the complaint is important."

Lawmaker Kim mentioned Prosecutor Im Hong-seok, who is under investigation related to the complaint instigation allegations, and argued that he is a personal link that raises suspicion of complaint instigation in the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant case as well.

Specifically, Prosecutor Im was investigated for allegedly receiving alcohol entertainment from former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyun but ultimately avoided indictment. Lawmaker Kim claimed that this might have been because Prosecutor Im was involved in the complaint instigation, making it difficult for Yoon Seok-yeol's prosecution to indict him recklessly.

At the end of his questioning, Lawmaker Kim asked Minister Park, "From various perspectives, including personal connections, the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant case is also worth suspecting as a complaint instigation. Minister, I think a thorough investigation and, if necessary, an investigation are needed. What do you think?"

Minister Park, seemingly waiting for this question, responded, "On October 20, the Board of Audit and Inspection announced the audit results of the Wolseong Unit 1 nuclear power plant case. As Lawmaker Kim pointed out on October 22, the Board sent investigation reference materials related to the audit results to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. On the same night, a complaint was filed at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office under the name of the People Power Party," reiterating the facts.

He continued, "Lawmaker Kim pointed out whether this is a case of complaint instigation," and said, "I have very serious doubts about the complaint filed on October 22. An investigation on this matter is planned."