People Power Party Visits Supreme Prosecutors' Office to Protest 'Daejang-dong Inadequate Investigation'... Meeting with Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo Fails

On the morning of the 22nd, Kim Gi-hyeon, floor leader of the People Power Party, Kim Do-eup, chairman of the Policy Committee, and other lawmakers visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, to demand a thorough investigation into the 'Daejang-dong Gate.' Photo by the National Assembly Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] On the 22nd, members of the People Power Party visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to protest the prosecution's 'Daejang-dong investigation,' which excluded the charge of 'breach of trust' when indicting former Seongnam Urban Development Corporation Planning Director Yoo Dong-gyu.

A standoff ensued with the prosecution, who blocked the lawmakers' entry citing 'quarantine rules,' ultimately resulting in the failure to hold a meeting with Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo.

At around 10:30 a.m. that day, about 29 People Power Party lawmakers, including Floor Leader Kim Ki-hyun, Policy Committee Chair Kim Do-eup, Judiciary Committee Secretary Yoon Han-hong, Legal Support Team Leader Yoo Sang-beom, and lawmakers Kim Tae-heum, Park Dae-chul, Cho Soo-jin, and Jeon Ju-hye, visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, demanding a meeting with Prosecutor General Kim.

The lawmakers held placards reading “The people know who that person is,” “The real mastermind behind the Seongnam Daejang-dong preferential corruption is the planner!” and shouted slogans such as “Prosecution fabricating a political investigation, wake up,” “Condemn the political prosecution protecting Lee Jae-myung,” and “Kim Oh-soo, who is conducting a scapegoating investigation, must resign.”

Floor Leader Kim said, “There is a dark intention to hide the mastermind of the largest development corruption and preferential treatment scandal since the founding of Korea and to cover up the case by cutting off the tail,” adding, “The charges the prosecution has indicted are merely at the level of an elephant’s tail. We cannot tolerate this fabricated indictment that aims to cover everything up.”

He continued, “The public knows the substance, the mastermind, and who ‘that person’ is,” and said, “We have come to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office today to deliver the firm national will that strict accountability must be demanded.”

However, when the Supreme Prosecutors' Office limited the number of people allowed inside the building to five, citing 'quarantine rules,' a confrontation with the protesting lawmakers ensued. On that day, Ye Se-min, Director of the Planning and Coordination Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, came out to explain the situation to the lawmakers.

Lawmaker Kim Do-eup protested, “Is there any precedent where facts that emerged during the request for an arrest warrant were omitted when indicting? It is unprecedented to do such a huge thing and then limit the number to five. That is unacceptable.”

Lawmaker Jeon Ju-hye said, “The Judiciary Committee’s audit ended around 9:40 a.m. yesterday, but the indictment was filed at 9:53 a.m.,” adding, “It seems they waited until the Judiciary Committee audit was almost over to file the indictment.”

She continued, “If the indictment had been filed during the Judiciary Committee audit, opposition lawmakers would have criticized Justice Minister Park Beom-gye, and it would have naturally become a major issue in the audit,” and said, “Did they wait until the audit ended because they were afraid of this? It is disappointing.”

Lawmaker Jeon also said, “How can we trust such a prosecution?” and added, “The Prosecutor General should naturally come and explain why the indictment was filed at 9:53 a.m. and when he was informed. We need to verify this.”

Lawmaker Kim Do-eup protested during a phone call with Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park Seong-jin, saying, “Why aren’t you opening the front door? This building does not belong to you. You are only temporarily working here. Open the door quickly.”

He continued, “Who gave the order to allow only five people in? What is the basis for preventing entry to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office? Is it an order from Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo?” and questioned, “Instead of telling us not to come up when the door is not opened, tell Prosecutor General Kim to come down. If that is the policy, there should be no policy preventing him from coming down,” he suggested.

As the Supreme Prosecutors' Office continued to block the lawmakers’ entry, the lawmakers shouted slogans such as “Lee Jae-myung is that person, the people know,” “Hwacheon Daegyu, Cheonhadongin, that person is the culprit,” and “Kim Oh-soo, who is conducting a Blue House-directed investigation, must resign,” continuing the standoff.

At around 12:01 p.m., Lawmaker Kim Do-eup instructed the lawmakers to move, saying, “Due to COVID-19, the main gate is closed, but the side and back gates are open,” and the standoff continued at the side gate of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. At one point, loud voices were exchanged and a scuffle broke out.

Lawmaker Kim called Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park again, protesting, “Is there any case like this in the prosecution? The Prosecutor General is not answering calls. Deputy Chief, please speak. Did the Prosecutor General give this order?”

Lawmaker Kim said, “There is chaos here, but no prosecutors are present. These people are physically blocking us. What are they doing? They must be cowardly and ashamed, which is why they won’t come down. At this point, Deputy Chief, you should come down too. A responsible person should come down and explain. Deputy Chief, come down and see the situation. What are you doing? Using staff to control entry. If the Prosecutor General is not here, at least the Deputy Chief should come and explain,” he demanded.

However, the meeting with Prosecutor General Kim ultimately failed. The lawmakers dispersed around 1:30 p.m. after Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park came out in front of the building.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Park said, “(Former Director Yoo) was indicted after sufficient investigation was conducted just one day before the expiration of his detention,” adding, “We are thoroughly investigating based on evidence and procedures. We will carefully consider your concerns and reflect them in our work.”

The dedicated investigation team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, investigating the 'Daejang-dong development project preferential treatment and corruption allegations,' indicted former Director Yoo the day before on charges of bribery and promise of receiving bribes under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. However, controversy arose because the charge of breach of trust under the same Act, which was included in the arrest warrant request filed on the 2nd, was not included in the indictment.