Ruling and Opposition Clash Over Board of Audit and Inspection's 'Moon Jae-in Written Investigation' Notice... Board Says "Aiming to Reveal Substantive Truth" (Summary)

Lee Jae-myung, Opposition Leader, "Must Be Humble Before the People"
Democrats to File Complaints with Board of Audit and Inspection and Corruption Investigation Office
Ruling Party: "Duty of Former Presidents"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] On the 3rd, the ruling and opposition parties clashed sharply over the Board of Audit and Inspection's (BAI) notification last week to former President Moon Jae-in regarding a written investigation related to the 'West Sea Civil Servant Shooting Incident.' The opposition party announced a strong struggle, threatening to file a complaint against the BAI with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), while the ruling party countered, saying, "Responding is the duty of a former president."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, met with reporters after attending the National Foundation Day celebration at the government Seoul office and, when asked about the BAI's written investigation notification to former President Moon, said, "Politics must fear the people and history," adding, "Instead of taking care of people's livelihoods with the power entrusted by the people, the government is focusing on suppressing the opposition and politically retaliating against the previous administration."

He continued, "Now is not the time to focus on suppressing the opposition and political retaliation against the previous government, but to devote efforts to the livelihood economy and diplomacy and peace," and pointed out, "I hope they become more humble before the people."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The opposition launched a full-scale offensive condemning the BAI on the same day. The Democratic Party's Yoon Seok-yeol Regime Political Suppression Countermeasures Committee decided to file a complaint against the BAI with the CIO regarding this matter.

The committee held a press conference at the National Assembly in the morning and said, "What the Yoon Seok-yeol government is ultimately targeting is former President Moon," criticizing, "Although it is called a specific audit, it is a comprehensive audit of all matters of the Moon administration. The BAI is abusing its audit authority."

They added, "The BAI started 34 new specific audits in the second half of this year without even going through individual resolutions of the Audit Committee," and questioned, "What exactly is President Yoon aiming for?"

They further pointed out, "Since the Yoon Seok-yeol government seized power wielding the prosecutor's blade, it seems they have no choice but to rely on the prosecutor's blade again," and said, "By directing that blade at the former president, they intend to plunge our society into a political turmoil."

The committee announced that they would file a complaint with the CIO for abuse of authority by the BAI and proposed a nationwide resistance movement against the Yoon government's political suppression, including the BAI's abuse of audit authority.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, lawmakers from the Democratic Party who previously served in the Blue House held a press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "The unfair investigation by the BAI into the former president is a declaration of war to use the authority entrusted by the people for power."

They criticized, "The BAI's behavior crossing the line is becoming more outrageous," and questioned, "What authority does the BAI, which is not an investigative agency, have to investigate a former president who has already left public office?"

They added, "The West Sea civil servant shooting incident is already being persistently investigated by the prosecution," and criticized, "The prosecution has conducted numerous raids on many institutions and summoned many people for investigation, and now, since things are not going as hoped, they are mobilizing the BAI again."

Go Min-jung, a Supreme Council member, also said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' in the morning, addressing the ruling party, "The target of President Yoon Seok-yeol's verbal abuse was the National Assembly," and added, "Seeing each member of the National Assembly, a constitutional institution, accept such abuse and hearing that the BAI is a constitutional institution that must be respected, I first think they have no pride at all."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, the ruling party pointed out that former President Moon refused the BAI's investigation request. Jang Dong-hyuk, floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, said in a statement on the same day, "Former President Moon refused the BAI's written investigation regarding the 'West Sea Civil Servant Shooting Incident,'" and rebutted, "He expressed strong displeasure and even refused to receive the questionnaire."

He continued, "The state failed to protect our citizens, and the government defamed the deceased and their families by labeling the deceased as defectors to the North," and stated, "As a responsible former president, it is a natural duty to respond to this."

Spokesperson Jang emphasized, "Former President Moon should not hide behind the shield of 'political retaliation' but answer the stern questions of the people and the anguished cries of the bereaved families," and stressed, "The email that former President Moon sent back to the BAI will pierce the hearts of the bereaved families and bruise their hearts."

Yang Geum-hee, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, also said in a statement in the morning, "Does the Democratic Party truly not see the death of our citizen who was shot and burned by North Korea and the tears of the bereaved families?" and urged, "Please stop the secondary harm to the bereaved families."

She added regarding the Democratic Party's announcement of a struggle, "If the Democratic Party expands this issue into a political conflict, I think we must respond strongly."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, the BAI released a reference document on the same day titled 'Reference Materials Regarding Reports on Written Investigation of Former President,' stating, "In accordance with the Board of Audit and Inspection Act, a questionnaire was prepared for former President Moon and approved by the BAI chairman on the 28th of last month," and explained, "The BAI may issue a questionnaire in the name of the chairman to a former president if necessary to uncover the substantive truth during the audit process."

They also announced, "It was necessary to verify facts related to the ongoing audit of the West Sea Civil Servant Shooting Incident."