[2022 National Audit] Judiciary Committee's First Day Disrupted... Clash Between Ruling and Opposition Over Former President Moon's Board of Audit Investigation

野 "Political audit to insult former President Moon"
與 "Irresponsible and heartless president will return as a stain on history"

On the 4th, at the National Assembly's audit of the Supreme Court and others, People Power Party officials attached placards urging a "People's Livelihood Audit" to their laptops. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit was delayed by about an hour due to the issue of the Board of Audit and Inspection's written investigation notice regarding former President Moon Jae-in.

The Legislation and Judiciary Committee was scheduled to conduct an audit of the Supreme Court and others starting at 10 a.m. on the 4th, but the meeting was disrupted when members of the Democratic Party of Korea attached placards reading "Stop political oppression!" to their seats in the meeting room.

Even after the audit began, the opposition party pointed out the Board of Audit and Inspection's written investigation notice through procedural remarks, effectively preventing the morning audit from proceeding normally.

Democratic Party lawmaker Ki Dong-min said, "Please consider why the Democratic Party acted this way from the first day of the audit," adding, "Powerful groups such as the prosecution and the Board of Audit and Inspection must operate independently and neutrally in accordance with their institutional existence so that the audit can focus on policies and people’s livelihoods."

He continued, "It has become clear that Chairman Choi can no longer serve as the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection," and stated, "Among the issues pending in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is the special investigation law for First Lady Kim Keon-hee, and the co-conspirators in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case are in custody and on trial, yet (Kim) has not been summoned even once. Is this the minimum fairness, common sense, and principle that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration claims?"

Another Democratic Party lawmaker, Kwon Chil-seung, said, "Immediately after the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol government, the Board of Audit and Inspection boldly admitted publicly that it is a government support agency," adding, "To be precise, it has fallen to the level of a henchman and has finally pointed its blade at former President Moon. Investigating former National Intelligence Service chiefs Park Ji-won and Seo Hoon has not even been done, yet investigating former President Moon is a political audit intended to insult."

In response, the ruling party insisted that a forced investigation of former President Moon should proceed. Jeong Jeom-sik, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, said, "In November 2016, when Moon was in the opposition, he posted on SNS, ‘President Park Geun-hye denied the prosecution and refused investigation. As president, she is not cooperating with the prosecution’s truth-finding but is thoroughly defending herself as a suspect,’" adding, "The Board of Audit and Inspection should treat former presidents not with courtesy but as subjects of investigation. I want to return the call for immediate forced investigation."

Another lawmaker from the same party, Jang Dong-hyuk, said, "It is regrettable that the Democratic Party approaches the audit on livelihood policies holding Lee Jae-myung’s shield in the right hand and Moon Jae-in’s shield in the left," adding, "It is about protecting the president, but the basic principle of the rule of law and democracy is that everyone is equal before the law and subject to investigation and audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection."

He continued, "Former President Moon’s email, which was returned without a response to the Board of Audit and Inspection, pierced the hearts of the bereaved families and bruised their hearts," adding, "He will be branded as an irresponsible and heartless president, which will become a major stain in history."