Park Young-sun: "Han Dong-hoon as Minister of Justice? A Masterstroke to Complete the Prosecutor Republic"

"Put a More Comfortable Person as Minister of Justice than the Prosecutor General with Amputated Arm"
"Kim Geon-hee Also Finds Contacting the Prosecutor General Burdensome, Minister Will Be Easier"

Former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun. Photo by National Assembly Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun strongly criticized the nomination of Han Dong-hoon as Minister of Justice by President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, saying that "the Prosecutor Republic has been completed."

On the 14th, former Minister Park posted on her Facebook titled "The reason why Han Dong-hoon's appointment as Minister of Justice is called a masterstroke," stating, "The natural trinity era of 'President, Minister of Justice, Prosecutor General' has completed the Prosecutor Republic."

Former Minister Park said, "In the situation where (President-elect Yoon) has declared the abolition of the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, the role of the Minister of Justice as a channel connecting the President and the prosecution has become much more important than before," adding, "While the President finds it difficult to have natural meetings with the Prosecutor General, who demands independence, the Minister of Justice can meet officially and frequently at the Cabinet meetings, making it easy to naturally open the trinity era of 'President - Minister of Justice - Prosecutor General' as a channel."

She continued, "In a situation where the Minister of Justice is given all the channels related to judicial matters, especially a Minister of Justice with a background as a prosecutor, it is much easier to control the prosecution by abolishing the investigative command authority that is only possible in writing." If the investigation is directed in writing, records remain, but if the Minister of Justice gives opinions via phone calls or private meetings with third parties, the public cannot know about it.

She also mentioned Yoon's spouse, Kim Geon-hee. Former Minister Park said, "It is burdensome for Kim Geon-hee to contact the Prosecutor General, but it is much easier to contact Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, who is known to be in frequent communication with her."

Previously, former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae claimed in 2020 during the suspicions of collusion between the prosecution and the media that Kim Geon-hee and candidate Han exchanged several phone calls and KakaoTalk messages. Former Minister Chu stated that this content was recorded in the disciplinary recommendation document during Yoon's time as Prosecutor General. In response, candidate Han issued a statement saying, "I have maintained a public and private relationship with Prosecutor General Yoon for 20 years. It would be strange if I had called Chu Mi-ae or Jeong Gyeong-sim at that time, but I do not understand what the problem is with contacting Prosecutor General Yoon."

Former Minister Park added, "If the Democratic Party's 'complete removal of prosecution's investigative authority' (Geomsu Wanbak) is realized, it would be natural to seat the Minister of Justice as the most convenient person rather than the Prosecutor General, who has lost one arm called 'investigation,' thereby creating a natural trinity and completing the Prosecutor Republic."