Park Hong-geun, Opposition Search and Seizure "Unprecedented Prosecutor Coup"

"Prosecutors Used Investigation of Deputy Director of Democratic Research Institute as Pretext to Raid Main Opposition Party Headquarters"

[Asia Economy Reporters Oh Ju-yeon and Park Jun-i] On the 20th, Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the prosecution's raid on the Yeouido Central Party Office the previous day, which is investigating illegal political funds related to Kim Yong, deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute, calling it an "unprecedented prosecutorial coup."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the lawmakers' meeting held at the National Assembly that morning, Floor Leader Park said, "Politics in this land is dead, and cooperation has collapsed."

He condemned, "Despite the crisis caused by the incompetence and mismanagement of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, instead of taking responsibility to overcome it, they are desperately trying to change the narrative. They are fully mobilizing power institutions such as the prosecution, the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the police to focus solely on all-out political oppression against opposition figures from the previous government."

He particularly emphasized that Deputy Director Kim was appointed on the 11th and had only come to work three times, stating, "Using the investigation of the deputy director of the Democratic Research Institute who entered only three times as a pretext, the prosecution barged into the central party office of the main opposition party. Since democratization, no administration has so shamelessly and brazenly abandoned urgent national issues to launch full-scale oppression and political retaliation against the opposition."

He strongly criticized, saying, "This will be recorded as an unprecedented prosecutorial coup."

He pointed out that the audit has been paralyzed due to this raid, noting, "In the first week of the audit, the Board of Audit and Inspection requested investigations of 20 related persons without committee approval, which is a clear act of obstruction that undermines the audit authority."

He also said, "The 'Daegam Gate' led by the Yongsan Presidential Office is trying to overturn the West Sea public official shooting incident and even distort the repatriation case," adding, "The next step after summons and arrest warrant applications is evidently a former president."

Floor Leader Park emphasized, "All 169 Democratic Party lawmakers will face this emergency situation with an emergency resolve starting today," and stressed, "In the remaining regular session, except for the passage of livelihood legislation and budget, we will devote all efforts to uncovering various political oppression allegations of the Yoon administration."