13th National Assembly Judiciary Committee Full Meeting
"Thorough Investigation Needed for Fake Interview, Possibility of Lee's Prior Coordination"
"Chaesangbyeong Case, Need to Determine Presidential Office Involvement"
On the 13th, the ruling and opposition parties clashed in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee over the 'Kim Man-bae and Shin Hak-rim Daejang-dong false interview allegations' and the 'Marine Corps Chaesang-byeong death case investigation pressure allegations.'
On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Jo Su-jin mentioned the 'Daejang-dong false interview' during the full committee meeting in the morning, stating, "Immediately after the report was released, Representative Lee Jae-myung shared the article 41 minutes earlier than major daily newspapers and encouraged its spread," emphasizing, "It is essential to clarify whether there was prior coordination to utilize this content."
Earlier, Newstapa disclosed an interview conducted just before last year's presidential election with Kim Man-bae, a key figure in Daejang-dong, and Shin Hak-rim, a specialist. In the interview, Kim falsely claimed that President Yoon Seok-youl, who was the chief prosecutor during the Busan Savings Bank case, covered up the investigation related to Daejang-dong loan broker Jo Woo-hyung. Subsequently, major daily newspapers and broadcasters cited this report. During this process, Specialist Shin is suspected of receiving 165 million won from Kim.
Lawmaker Jo criticized, "As soon as the report was released three days before the presidential election, Representative Lee eagerly encouraged widespread dissemination, and the Democratic Party officially briefed that the root of the Daejang-dong case was Yoon Seok-youl," adding, "This was organized. It is a 'presidential election manipulation' case that must be eradicated." He further stressed, "A thorough investigation into possible collusion behind the scenes is necessary. It is difficult to view this enormous crime as a solo plan by Kim Man-bae. There is a high possibility of collusion or involvement by presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung."
On the other hand, the Democratic Party questioned whether there was external pressure when the Ministry of National Defense delayed transferring the case of former Marine Corps investigation team leader Park Jung-hoon to the police.
Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Young-bae criticized, "When an accident occurs, it is absolutely unacceptable in a democratic republic for the state to systematically exert external pressure to conceal and manipulate the facts, which constitutes a 'state power abuse' case."
Kim stated, "What the public truly demands is to accurately uncover the truth about the investigation pressure, concealment, and manipulation in this Marine Corps death case," and criticized the ruling party for framing the 'false interview' controversy as election manipulation, saying, "I have never seen a winner in an election retaliate against the losing opponent for such a long time."
He added, "The core of this Marine Corps case is that on July 31, the Minister of National Defense approved and then reversed the position, during which the Presidential Office intervened. It is necessary to ascertain what report was made during the Presidential Office's tea time that morning, whether the president or Presidential Office officials contacted the minister or those around the minister, and the reasons behind the minister's reversal of stance."
Meanwhile, Minister Lee announced on the same day that he had tendered his resignation to President Yoon Seok-youl.
Democratic Party lawmaker Park Yong-jin asked, "'There are talks that the resignation was due to concerns about a security vacuum,' and there are reports that it was a dismissal because the military insubordination case became public." Minister Lee responded, "It is true that I have tendered my resignation," adding, "I believe it is not my place to make further evaluations."
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