Yoo In-tae: "Han Dong-hoon Nomination is Yoon's Declaration of War on the Democratic Party... Need to Publicize 'Prosecution Reform Completion'"

"'Geomsu Wanbak', Some Blame on Prosecution... Concerns Even Within Democratic Party"
"Han Dong-hoon Nomination Seems Like Giving Up on 'Cooperation'"

Former Secretary General of the National Assembly, Yoo In-tae. The photo shows former Secretary General Yoo holding a press conference last year at the National Assembly Communication Office on "Constitutional Amendment and Political Reform Measures and Urging Prompt Agreement between the Ruling and Opposition Parties." [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] As the Democratic Party of Korea adopted the 'Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Rights' (검수완박) legislation as its party stance, former National Assembly Secretary-General Yoo In-tae diagnosed that the sharp conflict between the ruling and opposition parties, triggered by President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol nominating Han Dong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute (Chief Prosecutor), as Minister of Justice, is intertwined with the upcoming June 1 local elections.

On the 13th, former Secretary-General Yoo appeared on SBS's 'Joo Young-jin's News Briefing' and said regarding the Democratic Party's renewed push for 'Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Rights,' "I think the direction of separating investigation and prosecution rights is correct," but added, "The establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has been settled for now, and with less than a month left in the president's term, this is not something that should be pushed through so forcefully. It should go through a more public deliberation process and be supported by public opinion before moving in that direction."

He continued, "Even forces that were considerable allies are expressing various concerns," and pointed out, "Although the bill was adopted unanimously as the party stance, there are quite a few worried opinions within the Democratic Party as well. The opposition will not remain passive, and without cooperation from National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seok, it will actually be difficult."

Regarding the Democratic Party's strengthening of prosecutorial reform despite some opposition, former Secretary-General Yoo said, "The prosecution has brought much of this upon themselves." He noted, "Even the person appointed as Minister of Justice today has allegations against him, but the prosecution did not unlock the iPhone password, resulting in a no-charge decision. When they tried to investigate the allegations of the 'reporter bribery scandal' involving President-elect Yoon, they took leave and were reportedly in the hospital claiming illness. Isn't that the reality of the rule of law in South Korea? Prosecutors seem to live in a zone beyond the law."

Regarding President-elect Yoon's nomination of that Chief Prosecutor as Minister of Justice, he criticized, "It seems that Yoon Seok-yeol has given up on cooperation." He said, "Can an ordinary citizen in South Korea get a no-charge decision just by not giving their iPhone password? Appointing such a problematic person, especially someone who had vowed to hold former Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye and others accountable, as Minister of Justice is a declaration of war against the majority party in the National Assembly."