[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Regarding the 'Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Rights (Geomsu Wanbak)' law promoted by the Democratic Party of Korea, the Blue House stated that it is "not politically motivated or intended" in response to the opposition party's characterization of the law as a measure to protect President Moon Jae-in and former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung.
Park Soo-hyun, the Blue House Chief of Public Communication, appeared on MBC's 'News Outside' on the afternoon of the 19th and said, "It seems the opposition party is trying to define the (Geomsu Wanbak) law as a law to protect President Moon and a specific presidential candidate, but I hope such things are mutually avoided."
The previous day, Kwon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the People Power Party, had defined this law as the 'Moon Jae-in and Lee Jae-myung Shield Law,' saying, "The Democratic Party must immediately stop this unconstitutional legislative dictatorship that shakes the national judicial system to protect Moon Jae-in and Lee Jae-myung."
Chief Park questioned, "How could anyone reform the criminal justice system with such an objective? Don't the people know?" and emphasized, "It started from the urgency to complete reforms entrusted to the Moon administration."
Regarding the opposition party's demand for President Moon to exercise his veto power, he responded, "We live in a democracy centered on the separation of powers," adding, "It is a practice that should disappear to tell the president to respond when the 'time of the National Assembly' has not yet passed.
The previous day, President Moon met with Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo and discussed the Geomsu Wanbak law for 70 minutes, ultimately rejecting Kim's resignation. Some have pointed out that it is awkward for President Moon, who said "the public doubts the fairness of prosecutorial investigations," not to hold Prosecutor General Kim accountable.
In response, Chief Park explained, "Rather than specifically reprimanding the prosecution, it was a request to become a prosecution that reforms itself and gains recognition regarding the culture that still remains and needs to be changed," adding, "Individual responsibility cannot be assigned."
Even after the meeting, President Moon did not clearly state his position on the Geomsu Wanbak law. However, the Blue House emphasized that President Moon still supports the principle of 'separation of investigation and prosecution rights.' The 'separation of investigation and prosecution rights' was also a pledge of the Moon administration.
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