Choo Mi-ae: "Abolition of the Securities Crime Task Force Unrelated to Lime Investigation"

"Financial Investigation Departments 1 and 2 Thoroughly Investigate Financial Crimes"
"FSS, Repeatedly Rehashing Lime Scandal Like Old Beef Bone Soup"

Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae has rebutted the ruling party's claim that the Securities Crime Joint Investigation Unit was abolished during the Moon Jae-in administration to cover up investigations into the Lime and Optimus cases, stating, "The abolition of the Securities Crime Joint Investigation Unit has nothing to do with the Lime investigation."

On the 25th, Choo posted on her social media, "(The Securities Crime Joint Investigation Unit) became a hotbed of crime due to a cartel between former prosecutors and the financial sector, which led to its abolition," she said.

Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae attended the prosecution reform forum held at the National Assembly on the 10th and gave a presentation on the topic of "The Contradictions and Evils of Prosecutors' Direct Investigation Authority." Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Earlier, Jeon Ju-hye, the floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary, "Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, who abolished the Securities Crime Joint Investigation Unit in January 2020, suddenly shifted responsibility to then Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol in October of the same year when suspicions arose that Democratic Party figures were involved in the Lime and Optimus fund fraud cases. She ordered an unprecedented exclusion of the Prosecutor General's investigative authority and an inspection regarding the Lime case," adding, "Subsequently, the investigation was thoroughly concealed by the Moon Jae-in prosecution."

Former Minister Choo responded, "It is a baseless rumor to claim that financial crime investigations could not be conducted because the Securities Crime Joint Investigation Unit, a hotbed of cartel crimes, was abolished. The Financial Investigation Division 1 and 2 conducted thorough investigations," adding, "The Ministry of Justice also reinforced investigative personnel. As a result of the investigation, Democratic Party figures were prosecuted even on minor charges."

She further stated, "However, the allegation that a former special privilege lawyer affiliated with the People Power Party, Yoon 00, received hundreds of millions of won in bribes was not even reported in the investigation," and "The Optimus case was dismissed without charges by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, ignoring the investigation request from the Korea Radio Promotion Association, which was nearly defrauded. This occurred under Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol."

Regarding the recent additional findings by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) related to preferential redemptions and embezzlement involving lawmakers in the Lime and Optimus scandals, former Minister Choo said, "The FSS did not uncover new illegal activities but mostly rehashed issues already addressed during the investigation process, like reheating old soup," questioning, "Is this a diversion tactic akin to the Fukushima contaminated water discharge?"