An image photoshopped with Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo on President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's election poster is spreading online. [Photo by Facebook capture]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A parody poster featuring Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo, who recently rejected calls to resign, as a presidential candidate has appeared.
On the 19th, a virtual presidential candidate poster of Prosecutor General Kim circulated online. The poster includes a photo of Kim and the logo of the Democratic Party of Korea, with the phrase "Kim Oh-soo raised by the people, a president who changes tomorrow." This phrase parodies the slogan used by President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol during his presidential campaign, "Yoon Seok-yeol raised by the people, a president who changes tomorrow."
Kim Yong-min, director of Peace Tree and former host of the podcast "I Am a Trickster," shared the virtual poster of Prosecutor General Kim on Facebook the day before, writing, "A master of parody. Totally 인정 (acknowledged)."
This poster appears to have been created by some ruling party supporters in response to the public pressure from the People Power Party on Kim to resign after the presidential election. The argument is that just as President-elect Yoon rose as a leading presidential candidate by standing up to the administration during his tenure as Prosecutor General, Kim could also emerge as a presidential candidate if he withstands the resignation pressure.
Earlier, on the 15th, Kwon Seong-dong, a member of the People Power Party, appeared on an MBC radio program and said, "I think Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo should decide his own position." Kim Gi-hyeon, the party’s floor leader, also continued strong pressure on Kim, saying, "He was never supposed to become Prosecutor General."
In response, on the 16th, Prosecutor General Kim, through the spokesperson of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, stated, "I will faithfully perform my duties according to the law and principles," rejecting calls to resign. His term lasts until May next year.
Meanwhile, voices defending Prosecutor General Kim, who is under pressure to resign, are growing within the Democratic Party.
On the 16th, Democratic Party lawmaker Noh Woong-rae wrote on Facebook, "What are you trying to cover up by telling the Prosecutor General to step down?" He pointed out, "Past presidents have guaranteed the Prosecutor General’s term during regime changes. President Kim Dae-jung retained the Prosecutor General appointed by President Kim Young-sam. Even MB (Lee Myung-bak) retained the Prosecutor General appointed by President Roh Moo-hyun."
He added, "Is there something urgent to hide? Is there a need to pressure political opponents? Are you trying to turn the prosecution into a puppet of political power before the ink on the ballots has even dried? Would anyone rush like this without something to hide? Which government in history tried to control the prosecution before even holding an inauguration?"
He emphasized, "The president-elect, who has particularly emphasized prosecutorial independence during the presidential election, must clearly state his position on the Prosecutor General’s tenure."
Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok also criticized on the 17th during a BBS radio interview, saying, "If you tell Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo, who still has a year left in his term, to step down, President-elect Yoon would be contradicting himself."
He claimed, "Outwardly, Yoon’s key aides are leading this, but in reality, it is a media play reflecting the president-elect’s intentions," adding, "The phrase 'Yoon-ro-nam-bul' (Yoon’s double standards) is already spreading inside the prosecution."
Cho Sung-eun, who raised allegations of President-elect Yoon’s involvement in a pre-election complaint scandal, told Prosecutor General Kim, "If you establish law and principles by investigating the Yoon Seok-yeol administration during the remaining year and a half of your term, you will become the presidential candidate of the main opposition party," urging, "Walk Yoon Seok-yeol’s path." She added, "Let’s have another president from a former Prosecutor General. The Prosecutor General’s term is legally guaranteed, after all."
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