Opposition Protests in Front of Presidential Office... Park Hong-geun Says "The Yoon Government Is the One Disrupting National Order"

"Yoon Calls Police Voices 'National Discipline Disorder'... Would This Situation Have Occurred If State Affairs Were Managed Stably?"
"Police Bureau Establishment and Forced Disciplinary Actions Must Be Withdrawn"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The Democratic Party of Korea strongly protested by visiting the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul on the 26th, criticizing the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's establishment of the Police Bureau. They also demanded the withdrawal of disciplinary actions and investigations against police officers who attended the nationwide police chiefs' meeting opposing the Police Bureau, calling the measures "excessive."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the same day, Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, criticized at the "Press Conference Condemning the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration's Police Takeover" held in front of the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, saying, "Today, the president called the collective voices of police officers opposing the establishment of the Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety 'a disruption of national discipline.' Who is truly causing the disruption of national discipline?" and added, "Isn't it the Yoon Seok-yeol government?"

Park questioned, "If the president had managed state affairs stably, would this situation have arisen?" and meticulously pointed out the legal and procedural problems with the establishment of the Police Bureau within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

He said, "According to the Government Organization Act, the Minister of Justice is responsible for overseeing prosecution affairs. Therefore, the Prosecution Bureau can be placed under the Ministry of Justice," adding, "However, there is no provision in the law that allows the Minister of the Interior and Safety to oversee police public security affairs." He further stated, "Many people say they cannot understand why something legally wrong is being done so shamelessly."

He continued, "There are also procedural issues," pointing out, "Usually, there is a 40-day legislative notice period, but the establishment of the Police Bureau is being rushed like a lightning operation in just four days, as if conducting a military operation."

Park also fiercely criticized Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, who compared the police chiefs' meeting to the 'Hana Meeting's December 12 Coup,' saying, "Minister Lee is showing a mindset akin to an 'administrative coup.'"

Regarding the disciplinary actions taken against the attendees of the police chiefs' meeting, he said, "It is too excessive," and demanded, "They gathered to express their collective opinion, so what logic is there that prosecution is allowed but police are not? Immediately withdraw the disciplinary measures."

Park addressed the government, saying, "They are arrogantly and autocratically trying to decide everything themselves," and warned, "The public will never tolerate these legal and procedural defects."

He also urged, "The president should apologize to the public for causing this national confusion," emphasizing, "I urge the president to take responsibility and focus on addressing the people's livelihood."