Yoon Administration's First Legislation and Judiciary Committee Audit Begins... Ruling and Opposition Clash Over Investigations of Lee Jae-myung and Kim Keon-hee

Ruling Party to Focus on Allegations of Daejang-dong, Wirye New Town, and Seongnam FC Sponsorship
Opposition Claims 'Biased Investigation'... Prosecution Faces 'Delayed Investigation' Criticism Related to Mrs. Kim

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the National Assembly inspection of the Ministry of National Defense held on the 4th at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and is reviewing materials while waiting for his turn to question. Photo by National Assembly Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] The National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s audit targeting the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Justice, and the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office began on the 4th.

In the first judiciary committee audit since the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, fierce clashes are expected between the ruling and opposition parties, as well as between the opposition and the audited institutions, over investigations related to former President Moon Jae-in’s administration, including the investigation surrounding Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, the shooting of public officials in the West Sea, the enactment of the “complete prosecution reform law” (Geomsuwanbak Law), and the enforcement decree of the prosecution reform restoration.

The ruling party is expected to focus its attacks on Lee Jae-myung regarding allegations of corruption in the Daejang-dong and Wirye New Town development projects, donations to Seongnam FC, payment of attorney fees, and suspicions of corruption involving Ssangbangwool Group.

The prosecution is accelerating its investigation into the Seongnam FC donation allegations. They have conducted large-scale raids on about 20 companies, including Doosan Construction, which donated to Seongnam FC, and are currently analyzing the seized materials. Additionally, with the arrest last month of Lee Hwa-young, former Peace Deputy Governor of Gyeonggi Province and a close aide to Lee Jae-myung, on charges of receiving bribes worth several hundred million won from Ssangbangwool Group, the opposition party has raised its voice, accusing the prosecution of “biased investigations.” The audit of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office and Seongnam Branch, which are conducting investigations related to Seongnam FC and Ssangbangwool Group, is scheduled for the 18th.

Investigations into allegations of misconduct during the Moon Jae-in administration, such as the shooting of public officials in the West Sea and the forced repatriation of North Korean fishermen, are also expected to be a major topic during this audit. With the possibility high that former National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won and other former government North Korea and intelligence officials will soon be summoned by the prosecution, the opposition is expected to strongly criticize the prosecution’s investigations during the audit of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

On the other hand, the opposition party is expected to launch a relentless offensive regarding allegations of false academic and career credentials of First Lady Kim Keon-hee and suspicions of her involvement in stock manipulation of Deutsch Motors, accusing the prosecution of “lenient investigations.”

At the Ministry of Justice audit scheduled for the 6th, a heated debate is likely between the opposition and Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon over the Geomsuwanbak Law and the enforcement decree of the prosecution reform restoration. The opposition has already pointed out the enforcement decree, which nullifies the Geomsuwanbak Law, during the full committee meetings, and is expected to press Minister Han hard during this audit as well.

During the Constitutional Court audit, the ruling and opposition parties are also expected to engage in a tense battle over the Geomsuwanbak Law. The opposition, which was not given the opportunity to speak during the public hearing on the Geomsuwanbak Law’s jurisdictional dispute held on the 27th of last month at the Constitutional Court, is expected to emphasize the legitimacy of the law’s enactment process during this audit.